If you’re not sure whether your home uses a heat pump or a traditional furnace and air conditioner setup, you’re not alone. Many homeowners inherit their HVAC systems when they buy a home and never get a clear explanation of what’s installed. Knowing what kind of system you have is important for scheduling maintenance and planning upgrades.
What Is a Heat Pump?
A heat pump is a system that heats and cools your home by transferring heat rather than generating it directly. In summer, it works like an air conditioner, removing heat from inside your home and releasing it outside. In winter, the process reverses, pulling heat from the outdoor air and moving it indoors.
Because it moves heat instead of creating it, a heat pump can be up to three times more energy-efficient than a conventional furnace or electric baseboard heating. In mild climates, this makes it one of the most cost-effective and eco-friendly HVAC options available.
Why It’s Important to Know if You Have a Heat Pump
Understanding whether you have a heat pump can also affect your comfort and energy savings. Suppose you have a heat pump but don’t realize it. In that case, you might accidentally schedule a furnace-only inspection or use thermostat settings that don’t take advantage of your system’s efficiency. Knowing what you have helps make sure that you get proper service and make informed decisions about repairs and upgrades.
Clues You Have a Heat Pump
If you’re unsure what type of HVAC system your home uses, a few simple observations can help you figure it out.
You Have Both Heating and Cooling From a Single Outdoor Unit
A clear sign of a heat pump is that you rely on the same outdoor unit for both air conditioning and heating. In contrast, a traditional setup has a furnace inside and an air conditioner outside that only runs in the summer. To check, look at your outdoor condenser unit. If it operates in both heating and cooling seasons, you almost certainly have a heat pump.
The Unit Has a Reversing Valve
Every heat pump includes a part called a reversing valve so that it can switch between heating and cooling modes. You can usually see this copper component near the refrigerant lines on the outside unit. It’s not always labeled, but it’s a giveaway feature that air conditioners don’t have. If you’re unsure, you can take a picture of your outdoor unit’s data plate and show it to our team; we’ll quickly confirm whether it’s a heat pump.
The Thermostat Has “Emergency Heat” or “Aux Heat”
Another simple way to tell is by checking your thermostat. If you see settings such as “EM Heat” or “Auxiliary Heat,” your home likely has a heat pump. These settings activate a backup heating source that helps the heat pump during extreme cold. A traditional furnace thermostat typically only shows modes, like “Heat,” “Cool,” “Fan,” and “Off.”
Airflow Feels Warm, Not Hot, in Heating Mode
When your system heats the home, pay attention to the temperature of the air coming from your vents. Heat pumps deliver air that feels comfortably warm, usually around 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but not as hot as air from a gas furnace, which can reach 130 degrees or higher. If your vents blow moderately warm air for longer cycles instead of short bursts of hot air, that’s another strong clue you’re using a heat pump.
Why Heat Pumps Are Becoming More Popular
Heat pumps have become popular in Pennsylvania and in other parts of the country because of advancements in cold-climate technology. Modern systems will be able to extract heat from the air when the temperatures drop below freezing, which makes them an ideal option for the varied seasons of this area.
You will appreciate that heat pumps provide heating and cooling in one system, reducing energy costs throughout the year. With electricity rates often more stable than fuel prices, switching to a heat pump can make heating and cooling your home home comfort more affordable.
Contact a Reliable HVAC Company
Knowing whether you have a heat pump helps you understand how your system operates and what kind of care it needs. At Comfort Solutions HVAC, we’ve proudly served the Easton area’s heating and cooling needs since 2008, earning a reputation as a trusted local HVAC company.
If you’re still unsure about which system you have in your home or want to get heat pump maintenance underway, schedule a quick system inspection with our team today.
