How Much Does a Heat Pump Installation Cost in Florida?

Heat pumps are sized by HVAC professionals according to their heating and cooling capacities, not by their physical dimensions. To do so, technicians rely on the tonnage of the system.

Tonnage refers to the amount of heat the heat pump can remove from your home in an hour. Most residential heat pumps are .5 to 1.5 tons. The more tonnage your heat pump has, the more square footage it’s able to heat/cool. Higher tonnage also usually means higher upfront costs for the system itself.

It’s important to note that bigger isn’t always better when it comes to heat pumps. You’ll need enough tonnage to heat or cool your entire house adequately. If there is too much or too little tonnage than required, you could have problems with the installation.

We’ll go over the main reasons why it’s essential to size your new heat pump properly.

Oversized heat pumps end up short cycling. They cool or heat the home quickly, shut off, and start back up on repeat.

Undersized heat pumps must run continuously to meet your cooling or heating demands and will never quite meet them correctly.

Inaccurately sized heat pumps can lead to uneven temperatures in your home, higher energy bills, and shortened system lifespans.

Your heat pump installer should complete a system evaluation known as a “Manual J Heat Load Calculation” to determine the size of your new heat pump properly. This calculation takes the following variables into account:

• The climate in your part of the country
• The height of the ceilings
• The kind and amount of insulation
• The number of rooms
• The number of windows
• The quality of the ductwork (is there leakage?)
• The square footage
• The type of flooring (carpet vs. wood)
• And more!

In the long run, an appropriately sized heat pump can save you money on maintenance, repairs, and replacements.

The Heat Pump’s Efficiency

The more efficient the heat pump, the less you will spend overall on maintenance and repairs.

Heat pumps use two different types of ratings to measure energy efficiency:

• The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating measures how efficiently a heat pump can cool your home. Residential heat pumps can have a SEER of 13 to 20+.
• The Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) rating measures how efficiently a heat pump can heat your home. Residential heat pumps can have an HSPF from 7.7 to 10+.

Higher SEER and HSPF ratings mean that the heat pump will be more efficient at heating and cooling your home. Higher ratings also indicate that the system needs less electricity to do its job, making high-efficiency heat pumps better at saving you money!

Florida homeowners should also consider the state’s regional governmental standards. Southeast homeowners must install a heat pump with a SEER rating of at least 14 and an HSPF rating of 8.0.

Any Comfort Features You Want

The cost of a heat pump installation also depends on which comfort features you want to be installed with the new system, including:

• Smart thermostats that adjust your home’s temperature automatically based on your habits. These thermostats can help you save money on your energy bills and extend your heat pump’s lifespan.
• Variable-speed compressors that increase comfort and reduce energy bills. These compressors only run at the exact speed required and are the most energy-efficient.
• Variable-speed blower motors that automatically increase and decrease your heat pump’s speed to match your heating and cooling demands, increasing your comfort and saving you money.

All of the above add-ons are excellent options for increasing the comfort of your home and the heat pump’s energy efficiency, potentially saving you money down the line.

Any Ductwork Modifications Needed

In most cases, HVAC contractors should be able to use your home’s existing ductwork for your new heat pump system. However, sometimes they will recommend ductwork modifications that will increase your installation costs:

Ductwork modifications, including duct sealing and cleaning, are typically needed when the ductwork is:

• Excessively dirty
• Incorrectly sized
• Leaky
• Not properly insulated
• Old
• Poorly designed or installed

Contractors typically recommend ductwork modifications before installing a new heat pump because all of the energy efficiency gains from the new heat pump can easily be lost if the ductwork isn’t up to par.

Climate Design Is Earning the Lifetime Trust of Florida Homeowners With Expert Heat Pump Installations.

When you hire Climate Design for a heat pump installation, you can trust that you’ll receive free upfront estimates, a system load calculation, 1-year labor warranties, and a NATE-certified team that performs to the highest of industry standards.

With hundreds of 5-star Google reviews and over four decades of experience serving Florida homeowners, why not schedule with us today?

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