Before You Sign for a Heat Pump: The Checks to Make on the House First

The unit is only one part of a heat pump job. The outdoor space, the electrical supply, the ducts, and the written paper decide whether it will work where you want it.

A heat pump is a good match for some houses and a poor one for others. The fit depends on the building, not only on the equipment. Before you sign anything, walk the house with the installer and ask the questions below. The typical service life of the equipment is on the heat pump page, and that page helps you plan the date. It does not answer whether your house is ready.

The outdoor space

Look at where the outdoor unit would sit. Ask for the clearance the manufacturer specifies on each side and above the unit, and ask whether that clearance is available. Check the path for the refrigerant line and the condensate drain. Ask how the unit will be reached for service in ten years, not only on the day it is installed. Ask who will look at the noise path to a bedroom window.

The electrical supply

Ask whether the existing electrical service has been checked for the added load, and whether a new circuit or a panel change is part of the work. Ask for that answer in writing. A licensed electrician or the installer's written calculation should answer it, not a guess from the sales visit. Your electrical panel page explains what to look for in the panel itself.

The ducts

Ask whether the existing ducts were checked for the new airflow, whether they are sealed, and whether any changes to them are included or excluded. Ductwork that works for an older furnace may not suit a heat pump without changes. Ask the installer to say which part of the duct work is theirs and which part is yours.

The backup heat

If you have a gas furnace now, ask whether it will stay as backup. Ask what temperature or condition switches the system from the heat pump to the furnace, and who sets that control. Ask who explains the thermostat settings to you at the end of the job.

The paper

Ask for a written description of the work, including what is removed, what is left in place, who pulls the permits, and who answers the phone after the first visit. Ask what the warranty covers, what you must register and by when, and how claims are made. Read any service contract or warranty for its cancellation rule, its transfer rule, and any waiting period before the coverage starts. If a term is unclear, ask the installer to explain it in writing before you sign.