My AC Broke - Is a Heat Pump Cool?

My AC Broke - Is a Heat Pump Cool?

From The Energy Show by Barry Cinnamon

April 1, 2026 · 15 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the benefits of heat pumps as a replacement for traditional AC and gas furnaces.

Yes, definitely. Heat pumps are literally and figuratively cool. And without a doubt, the best time to consider installing a heat pump is when your AC (or furnace) dies. Heat pumps do double duty, providing both heating and cooling. They offer significant savings and improved comfort -- which I confirmed first hand after my old outdoor air conditioner compressor died. Replacing both my old AC and gas furnace with a heat pump was one of the best home improvements I’ve ever made. The system operates almost silently, has better temperature control throughout my house, and my heating and cooling bills are down significantly. New heat pump models use inverter-based variable speed compressors with efficiencies in excess of 350%. These high system efficiencies mean that your total heating and cooling costs will almost always be lower with a heat pump than an ordinary AC and gas furnace. And from a comfort standpoint, with mini-split models you can even heat/cool individual rooms in your house! Sure, a basic AC replacement might seem cheaper initially. But keep in mind, federal tax credits and state rebates (part of the Inflation Reduction Act) will bring down the cost of your heat pump…

People in this episode

Host: Barry Cinnamon

Topics covered

  • heat pumps
  • air conditioning
  • home improvement
  • energy efficiency
  • cost savings

Keywords

  • heat pump
  • AC replacement
  • energy savings
  • home comfort
  • federal tax credits

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Inflation Reduction Act

Products: heat pump, AC, gas furnace, outdoor air conditioner compressor

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