Heat pump vs. central AC in South Florida

The difference

A central AC moves heat one way: out of the house. For heat it relies on electric resistance strips in the air handler, essentially a large toaster element. A heat pump is the same kind of machine with a reversing valve, so in winter it runs backwards and moves heat from outside air into the house.

Cooling: identical

At the same SEER2 rating, a heat pump and a straight AC cool the same way, with the same compressor, coil and airflow. The legal minimums are the same too (14.3 SEER2 in the Southeast for both split ACs and heat pumps under 45,000 BTU).

Heating: where the heat pump wins

Resistance heat strips turn one unit of electricity into one unit of heat. A heat pump moves heat instead of making it, and at South Florida's mild winter temperatures it typically delivers two to three times as much heat per unit of electricity. On the few nights that drop into the 40s, heat pumps bring in their backup strips, so those nights cost about the same either way.

Which we usually recommend

For most South Florida homes, a heat pump. The equipment costs a little more, and in return you get cheaper heat and one system that does both. The exceptions:

• You have a gas furnace you want to keep (rare here).
• The price difference for your specific equipment is large and you truly never use heat.
• You're matching an existing indoor unit that isn't compatible (though with the refrigerant change, most replacements are full systems now anyway).

Incentives note

The federal 25C tax credit that used to favor heat pumps ended for equipment installed after December 31, 2025. FPL's instant rebate for qualifying high-efficiency systems is separate (FPL A/C rebate).