Heat pump or AC: how to tell
Look at the thermostat: if it has Heat, Em Heat or Aux settings and the outdoor unit runs in winter, you have a heat pump. If heat only comes from strips in the air handler and the outdoor unit stays off, you have an AC with electric heat. Both are common here, and we service both.
Common heat pump problems
- Stuck in one mode (cools but won't heat, or the reverse): usually the reversing valve or its solenoid, or the thermostat wiring.
- Outdoor unit iced over in winter: a defrost-control or sensor problem.
- Heat works but bills spike: the system is running on the heat strips instead of the heat pump, often because of a thermostat setting or a failed outdoor unit.
- Burning smell on the first cold night: normally dust burning off the heat strips, and it should clear in minutes. If it doesn't, or smells electrical, turn it off and call.
Replacing with a heat pump
For most South Florida homes, a heat pump costs little more than a straight AC and gives you efficient heat for the handful of nights that need it. The same SEER2 minimums apply (14.3 SEER2 for heat pumps), and the same rules: Manual J sizing, a matched indoor coil, a permit and product approval. The heat pump vs. central AC guide compares the two for our climate.
A note on incentives: the federal 25C tax credit for heat pumps ended for equipment installed after December 31, 2025. FPL's instant rebate for qualifying high-efficiency systems is separate and still worth asking about.
Where we do this
Heat Pump & Heating Service across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Local notes (housing stock, permits, common problems) for each city:
AventuraSunny Isles BeachNorth Miami BeachHallandale BeachHollywoodNorth MiamiMiami GardensMiramarPembroke PinesHialeahDavieMiami BeachFort LauderdalePlantationMiamiDoralSunriseCoral GablesWestonPompano BeachKendallPinecrestCoral SpringsDeerfield BeachBoca RatonDelray BeachBoynton BeachWest Palm Beach