KINETICAir & Energy (207) 555-0164 Book an audit

HPHeat pumps

Four systems. One question: what does your house need?

Every heat pump moves heat instead of burning fuel. The difference is how it reaches your rooms. Here is how we choose.

Rated heating down to-13°F
Seasonal efficiencyAbout 2.9x
Typical life15 to 20 years
How a heat pump heats a house An outdoor unit pulls heat from cold air, refrigerant lines carry it inside, and an indoor unit releases it into the room. OUTSIDE, 5°F INSIDE, 68°F

01How it works

Even 5°F air holds heat. A heat pump moves it inside.

  • The outdoor unit pulls heat out of cold air with refrigerant that boils far below zero.
  • The compressor squeezes that refrigerant, which raises its temperature well above room temperature.
  • The indoor unit blows warm air into the room. In summer the cycle runs backward and you get AC.

Moving heat takes less power than making it. That is why one unit of electricity delivers about 2.9 units of heat across a Maine winter.

02The systems

Pick the system that fits the house.

Sunlit living room with a ductless wall unit mounted high above the window

Ductless mini-splits

Slim wall units in the rooms you use most, each with its own thermostat. No ductwork needed, so it suits most older Maine homes with hot water baseboard.

Installed cost$4,800 to $14,000
Install time1 to 2 days
Zones1 to 5 rooms
CoolingYes, in every zone
  • Homes with boilers and no ducts
  • Additions, sunrooms, finished attics

Ducted heat pumps

A central system that uses your existing ducts. One thermostat, hidden equipment, and central AC in summer. We test and seal the ducts first.

Installed cost$13,500 to $22,000
Install time2 to 3 days
ReplacesFurnace or air handler
CoolingWhole house
  • Homes with a forced-air furnace
  • Owners who want one quiet, hidden system
White colonial home with black shutters and a picket fence

Hybrid with your boiler

Keep a boiler that still has years left. The heat pump carries the house until it gets bitterly cold, then the controls hand off to the boiler automatically.

Installed cost$6,500 to $12,000
Install time1 to 2 days
Heat pump shareAbout 80% of the heat
CoolingYes, in heat pump zones
  • Boilers under 10 years old
  • Large or drafty homes taking a first step

Heat pump water heaters

A tank with a small heat pump on top. It pulls heat from basement air and uses about a third of the power of a standard electric tank.

Installed cost$3,200 to $4,600
Install timeHalf a day
Typical savings$350 to $600 a year
BonusDehumidifies the basement
  • Electric or oil-fired hot water today
  • A first project before the full system

03Before we install

Three things we check in every house.

These decide the system size and the price. The energy audit covers all three.

Air leaks and insulation

Sealing the attic first often shrinks the system by a size and cuts the price by $1,500 or more.

Electrical panel

Most homes with 100-amp service have room. Our master electrician confirms it, and quotes an upgrade only if needed.

Ducts or wall space

We test duct leakage, or map wall space and line routes for ductless heads before we price anything.

04Myths and facts

What we hear at the kitchen table.

MYTH Heat pumps stop working in a real Maine winter.

Older models struggled below 20°F. Cold-climate models hold most of their output well below zero. Every unit we install is rated to heat at -13°F, and we size for your town's design temperature.

MYTH The air from a heat pump feels cold.

Supply air runs around 95°F to 105°F, cooler than a furnace blast but steady. Rooms stay even instead of swinging hot and cold.

MYTH You have to rip out your boiler.

Many customers keep it as backup for a few years. A hybrid setup lets the heat pump do most of the work and the boiler cover the coldest nights.

MYTH A heat pump always saves money.

Not always. Against natural gas at today's prices it often costs more to run. Against oil, propane and baseboard it usually saves. Our calculator shows both cases.

05Heat pump care plan

One visit a year keeps it at full output.

Dirty filters and coils are the top cause of weak heat pump performance. The care plan handles both.

  • Indoor and outdoor coil cleaning
  • Refrigerant and electrical checks
  • Firmware updates and a winter performance report
  • No-heat calls answered 24/7, no after-hours fee

$189 a year, first year included with every install

Front porch of a classic home with white columns and a fall wreath on the door

Not sure which one fits?

The energy audit answers it with data from your house, not a sales pitch.

$149Credited toward your install Book an energy audit