How a Heat Pump Moves Energy Instead of Making It
A heat pump does not burn fuel to create warmth. It moves heat from one place to another. In winter, it pulls thermal energy out of the outdoor air and transfers it indoors. In summer, it reverses that process and pushes heat out of your home. This single piece of equipment handles both heating and cooling, which is what makes it different from a standard furnace paired with a separate air conditioner.
The science behind this comes down to refrigerant and pressure. A compressor circulates refrigerant through a closed loop. As the refrigerant changes between liquid and gas states, it absorbs and releases heat at the right points in the cycle. Because the system transfers existing heat rather than generating it from combustion, it can deliver more energy than it consumes. That efficiency is why heat pumps have become a central part of modern home comfort planning across our service area, which includes Petersburg, Dundee, Ida, Britton, Ottawa Lake, Lambertville, Maybee, Milan, Temperance, Tecumseh, Monroe, and Erie, MI.
At Thompson Plumbing, Heating & A/C Inc., we install and service heat pumps as part of our full range of climate solutions. We are a family owned and operated business, and three generations of the Thompson family work here today. Dale Thompson Sr. purchased the company in 1964 from Dave Roach, and that long history shapes how we approach every installation. We treat a heat pump project the way we would treat it in our own home.
The Main Types of Heat Pumps We Work With
Not every home needs the same kind of heat pump. The right choice depends on your existing ductwork, your lot, your budget, and how much of your current system you want to keep. Below are the primary configurations we install and service, along with what makes each one suitable for different situations.
- Air-source heat pumps: These are the most common choice for homes in our region. They exchange heat with outdoor air and connect to ductwork to distribute conditioned air throughout the house. They work well as a replacement for an aging AC unit and can be paired with a furnace for backup heat on the coldest days.
- Ductless mini-split systems: These use one outdoor unit connected to one or more indoor air handlers. There is no ductwork involved, which makes them a strong option for additions, converted garages, sunrooms, or older homes that never had ducts installed.
- Geothermal heat pumps: These exchange heat with the ground instead of the air. Underground temperatures stay stable year round, so these systems reach very high efficiency levels. They cost more to install because of the ground loop, but they often pay back over the long term through lower operating costs.
- Dual-fuel systems: These combine an air-source heat pump with a gas furnace. The heat pump handles mild weather efficiently, and the furnace takes over when temperatures drop low enough that the heat pump alone would struggle. This hybrid approach balances comfort and operating cost.
During a consultation, we walk through these options with you. We measure your home, review your current equipment, and explain which configuration fits your needs best. We do not push a single product on every customer, because the correct answer changes from one house to the next.
Why Efficiency Ratings Matter for a Heat Pump
Heat pumps are rated with several numbers that describe how well they perform. Understanding these ratings helps you compare equipment and estimate operating costs before you commit to a purchase. The two most important ratings are SEER2 for cooling and HSPF2 for heating.
SEER2 stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, version 2. It measures cooling output over a season divided by the electricity used. A higher SEER2 number means the unit uses less power to deliver the same amount of cooling. HSPF2 stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, version 2, and it measures heating efficiency in the same way. When you see higher numbers on both, you are looking at a more efficient machine that costs less to run.
There is also the balance point to consider. Every air-source heat pump has an outdoor temperature below which it loses heating capacity. Modern cold-climate heat pumps hold their output down to much lower temperatures than older models did, but the physics still apply. When we size and select a heat pump for your home, we account for the coldest conditions you will realistically face so that you are never left short of heat in the middle of winter.
Our Installation and Service Process
A heat pump only performs as well as its installation allows. Oversized or undersized equipment, poor refrigerant charge, and leaky ductwork all rob a system of efficiency and shorten its life. We follow a careful process to make sure every unit we install runs the way the manufacturer intended.
First, we perform a load calculation. This takes into account square footage, insulation levels, window placement, ceiling height, and air leakage. The load calculation tells us the exact capacity your home requires. We then match the equipment to that number rather than guessing based on the size of your old system. After the equipment is set, we verify refrigerant charge, test airflow, confirm electrical connections, and check the system across both heating and cooling modes before we leave.
All of our employees are factory trained and highly qualified. We are proud to be Monroe County’s only Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer, which means our technicians receive direct training on the equipment we install and service. That training shows up in the quality of the finished work and in our ability to diagnose problems quickly when a system needs repair.
Common Uses and the Comfort Benefits You Can Expect
Homeowners choose heat pumps for many reasons, and the benefits reach beyond the energy savings. Here is how a heat pump serves a household day to day.
A single system handles your heating and cooling, which simplifies maintenance and reduces the number of pieces of equipment you have to track. The heating a heat pump delivers tends to feel steadier than the hot-then-cold cycle of some furnaces, because it moves a larger volume of slightly warmer air. Many models offer variable-speed operation, which lets the system run at low capacity for long stretches rather than blasting on and off. This keeps temperatures even from room to room and improves humidity control in summer.
Heat pumps also fit a wide range of property types. We install them in single-family homes, in additions where extending ductwork would be impractical, in rental properties where owners want lower operating costs, and in homes where the owner wants to reduce reliance on a single fuel source. Ductless models in particular solve comfort problems in rooms that have always run too hot or too cold. The flexibility of these systems is a large part of why demand continues to grow throughout Petersburg, Dundee, Ida, Britton, Ottawa Lake, Lambertville, Maybee, Milan, Temperance, Tecumseh, Monroe, and Erie, MI and the surrounding communities.
Serving Our Community for Decades
The business has operated from its present location since the late 1960s, after an early start in what is now My Papa’s Restaurant. That continuity matters when you are choosing who installs a system you expect to rely on for fifteen years or more. We are still here, still family run, and still accountable for the work we perform.
When you are ready to talk about a heat pump for your home, Thompson Plumbing, Heating & A/C Inc. can help you weigh your options, size the equipment correctly, and complete a clean installation. We also provide ongoing service to keep your system running at peak efficiency season after season. Reach out to us to schedule a consultation and learn which heat pump configuration fits your home best.