Heat Pump Installation in Elkins, AR
A heat pump is one system that heats in winter and cools in summer, which makes it a different decision from a furnace. Rooted Mechanical Heating & Air installs heat pumps and dual fuel systems for homes and light commercial properties in Elkins and across Northwest Arkansas, sized for both seasons rather than one.
- Heat pump and dual fuel installs
- Sized for heating and cooling
- Licensed (#0006641) and insured
How a heat pump heats, and what that changes
A heat pump does not burn fuel. It moves heat from outside air into the house, and reverses in summer to move heat the other way. That has three consequences worth knowing before you buy one.
It delivers air that is warm rather than hot, so a heat pump can feel underwhelming at the vent even while it is heating the house correctly. Its heating capacity also falls as the outdoor temperature drops, which is why heat pumps are paired with backup heat. And because the same equipment runs year round, it accumulates far more running hours than a furnace that sits idle for eight months.
Heat pump work splits into two jobs. Putting one in, which is this page, and heat pump repair when an existing one stops behaving. Heating covers the whole heating side if you are not sure which of those you need.
Heat pump, or heat pump with gas backup
A straight heat pump uses electric backup heat for the coldest stretches. A dual fuel system pairs the heat pump with a gas furnace instead and switches to gas automatically when the outdoor temperature drops past the changeover point. Which one makes sense depends on whether the property already has gas, what your utilities cost and how you use the space.
The sizing question is different too. A furnace only has to satisfy the heating load. A heat pump has to satisfy the heating load and the cooling load with one piece of equipment, so we run a load calculation for both rather than sizing for the season that happens to be coming.
Electrical matters more than people expect. Heat pumps and their backup heat have real electrical requirements, and that gets confirmed before the equipment is ordered rather than discovered on install day.
Where a heat pump fits
Some situations suit one well. Others do not, and we will tell you which yours is.
No gas at the property
Where there is no gas service, a heat pump is usually the efficient way to heat rather than resistance heat on its own.
Replacing heating and cooling together
If both systems are due, one heat pump covers both, and the labour overlaps rather than doubling.
You want gas for the cold snaps
A dual fuel system runs the heat pump most of the season and hands over to the furnace when it gets cold enough.
A room the ducts never reached
An addition, a shop or a converted space is usually a ductless job rather than a ducted heat pump.
Ductless mini splits
Frequently Asked Questions
Short, direct answers to the questions we hear most.
Does a heat pump work in Arkansas winters?
What is a dual fuel system?
Why does heat pump air feel cooler than furnace air?
Does a heat pump replace my air conditioner too?
How do you size a heat pump?
Do you repair heat pumps you did not install?
Thinking about a heat pump?
We will look at the property, run the numbers for both seasons and explain what fits. Call 479-966-0099 or send a request.