A Heat Pump is the outdoor unit of a central AC split system.  While it is technically a “condenser”, Heat Pumps are generally referred to as such because they work differently than an air conditioning or cooling-only condenser. A heat pump condenser can both cool AND heat your home.

A heat pump system is typically electric, consisting of a condenser and air handler, but can also be a hybrid of gas/electric, known as dual fuel.

A heat pump switches from air conditioning to heating modes by reversing the refrigeration cycle. This basically means that the system uses the outside coil as the evaporator and the indoor coil as the condenser.

Heat pumps are typically used in locations that experience milder winters. They are not designed to function well when ambient outdoor temperatures reach below freezing (25-30 F). In areas where it is rare to reach those temperatures, but it can still happen, it is recommended to install and emergency heat strip in your system’s air handler to handle those especially chilly days.

Heat Pumps are available in various sizes or capacities which can be browsed above.