Heat pumps that work in Minnesota, designed by people who know the winters

A decade ago a heat pump was a southern appliance. Today's cold-climate models deliver useful heat at temperatures well below zero, and paired with a furnace or electric backup they handle the Twin Cities winter comfortably while cutting heating costs and replacing your air conditioner at the same time. We design them for this climate, not a brochure climate.

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How a heat pump fits a Twin Cities home

A heat pump is an air conditioner that can run in reverse. In summer it moves heat out of your house; in winter it pulls heat from the outdoor air, which exists even at sub-zero temperatures, and moves it inside. Cold-climate models use variable-speed compressors and refrigerants chosen for low temperatures, which is what separates them from the units that gave heat pumps a bad name up north.

For most of our customers, the right design is dual-fuel: a heat pump replaces the aging air conditioner and sits on top of the existing gas furnace. From roughly October through much of the winter, the heat pump does the heating. When the outdoor temperature drops below the balance point we set during design, the thermostat hands off to the furnace. On the coldest nights of the year you are heating with gas exactly as you always have, and the rest of the year you are heating for less.

All-electric homes and the coldest nights

Homes without gas service, or homeowners who want to move off gas entirely, can run an all-electric system with electric resistance backup. We size the heat pump to carry as much of the winter as practical and the backup to cover the remainder, and we are candid about what that means for the electric service panel and the winter bills. Sometimes a dual-fuel approach is the honest recommendation.

Design is everything

A heat pump that is sized like an air conditioner will come up short in January. We run a full load calculation, model the heat pump’s capacity against your home’s heating need at each outdoor temperature, and choose equipment and a balance point from that. We also look at the ductwork, since heat pumps deliver air at a lower temperature than a furnace and need adequate airflow to feel comfortable.

Rebates and permits

Cold-climate heat pumps are among the most heavily incentivized equipment available in Minnesota, with utility rebates and federal tax incentives that change year to year. Your comfort advisor will outline what applies to your proposed system. Every installation is permitted through your city and inspected.

Heat Pumps questions we hear a lot

Does a heat pump really work at twenty below?

Cold-climate heat pumps continue to produce heat well below zero, though their output and efficiency drop as the temperature falls. That is why we design nearly every system in the metro with a backup: your existing gas furnace in a dual-fuel setup, or electric resistance heat in an all-electric home. The heat pump carries most of the season, and the backup takes over for the handful of nights that demand it.

What is a dual-fuel system?

A heat pump outdoors paired with a gas furnace indoors, sharing the same ductwork. A smart thermostat switches between them at a set outdoor temperature, called the balance point, where gas becomes the cheaper or more capable option. You get the heat pump’s efficiency most of the winter and the furnace’s brute force when it is bitterly cold.

Will my electric bill go up?

In a dual-fuel home, yes somewhat in winter, while your gas bill drops more. In summer, a modern heat pump cools more efficiently than most older air conditioners, so cooling costs usually fall. The net depends on your utility rates and your old equipment, and we give you a realistic estimate rather than a best case.