The heat pump is still a relatively new form of home heating and cooling technology, but it has already become a popular option across California and beyond. Geothermal heat pump installation can help to keep your bills low, reduce your environmental footprint, and eliminate the need for separate heating and cooling systems. They can be expensive, though, so we can’t blame you if you want to learn about the heat pump installation process before signing on the dotted line.

Initial Considerations

Before even looking at different heat pump models, you’ll need a qualified HVAC contractor to visit your property to assess the home’s heating and cooling needs. This visit gives us a chance to learn about your home and your family’s climate control needs, but it also gives you a chance to ask us questions. Some of the key considerations we’ll address at this initial consultation include:

Site Composition

Geothermal heat pumps require ground loops, which come in different shapes and sizes to suit a variety of spaces, soil types, and hydrologies. To choose the right type of ground loop, we’ll need to know where your property lines are, where the groundwater table sits, how well your soil conducts heat, and how deep or shallow it is. In other words, we’ll need to perform a site inspection in addition to checking your property boundaries.

Economic Feasibility

If you’re considering a heat pump installation, one of your top concerns is most likely whether it will be economically feasible. We know that the heat pump installation cost can be high for some homeowners and offer financing. However, you should still feel free to discuss your financial concerns during the initial consultation.

Heating and Cooling Needs

Because geothermal heat pumps transfer heat to and from the air inside your home via ground loops, they are somewhat more restrictive than other home heating and cooling systems when it comes to temperature settings. We’ll need to know what your family’s expectations are regarding climate control so that we can tell if a heat pump AC unit will be sufficient in the summer.

In some cases, we recommend combining heat pump heating with a traditional AC system to combat California’s hottest summer days. Thankfully, Corona’s mild winters are a perfect fit for this unique HVAC technology, so a heat pump furnace is almost always sufficient for keeping homes warm.

The Heat Pump Installation Process

Once we’ve evaluated the site and helped you choose a heat pump furnace that will suit your family’s needs, we can move forward with the heat pump installation process. There are three separate components that we’ll need to install:

  1. The ground loop
  2. The ductwork
  3. The heat pump

If your home already has a central air system, we should be able to install your heat pump as a retrofit and avoid the need for installing new ductwork. However, the rest of your geothermal heat pump installation will progress in roughly the same way.

Step One: Installing the Ground Loop

How we install the ground loop will depend on whether it’s horizontal or vertical. Vertical ground loops are excellent options for sites with limited space, but they require highly specialized equipment that can drill several hundred feet deep. Horizontal loops, on the other hand, typically need to be just six feet deep. As a result, the type of ground loop used will have a significant impact on the heat pump installation cost.

Step Two: Heat Pump Installation

If we will be installing your heat pump system as a retrofit, we’ll need to remove the existing furnace and central AC system. In some cases, you may also want to consider leaving your existing system in place as a backup. Usually, though, the heat pump AC unit will suffice for keeping your home cool, which is the primary concern here in Corona, and we can hook it up directly to the home’s existing ductwork.

Step Three: Ductwork Installation

If you are having a new home built, we’ll also need to install ductwork to move the treated air throughout your home. In this way, heat pump heating and cooling work similarly to more traditional systems.

Step Four: Final Connections

The last step in the installation process will be to connect your new heat pump to the ground loop and the home’s electrical system. Once these final connections are made, your system will be complete and ready for operation. We’ll perform one last inspection after you flip the switch to make sure that everything is working as intended and won’t call the job done until you are satisfied.

Schedule a Heat Pump Installation Today

If you’re ready to make the switch to a more energy-efficient home heating and cooling system, Friends & Family HVAC is here to help. You can reach out with questions online or call (866) 482-2326 to schedule an initial consultation and get the ball rolling on your new heat pump installation project.