Heat pumps and dual fuel systems for Northeast Ohio homes
Raber HVAC installs and services heat pumps across Northeast Ohio. For most homes here we recommend a dual fuel system, which pairs a heat pump with a gas or propane furnace: the heat pump heats through fall and spring and cools all summer, and the furnace takes over in deep cold.
- Cold climate heat pumps
- Dual fuel with gas or propane
- Ductless heat pumps for rooms without ducts
- Sized by a load calculation
What is a heat pump?
A heat pump is an air conditioner that can also run in reverse. In summer it moves heat out of the house; in winter it pulls heat out of the outdoor air, even below freezing, and moves it in. Because it moves heat rather than burning fuel to make it, it can deliver more heat than the electricity it uses.
Why we recommend pairing it with a furnace
A heat pump's output falls as the outdoor temperature drops, and a Northeast Ohio January is long. Paired with the furnace you already have, the heat pump cools all summer and heats in mild weather, and the controls hand the heating to gas below a switchover temperature, so the coldest nights never depend on it. Which fuel is cheaper to run depends on your own electric and gas rates, so that temperature should be set from them: our dual fuel guide works an example with Ohio prices.
Heat pump, furnace or dual fuel: which fits your house?
Swipe the table sideways to see all three.
| Question | Gas furnace with central AC | Heat pump alone | Dual fuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heats with | Natural gas or propane | Electricity, moving heat in from the outdoor air | The heat pump in mild weather, the furnace in deep cold |
| Cools the house | Needs a separate air conditioner | Yes, the same unit | Yes, the heat pump |
| In deep cold | Full output at any outdoor temperature | Output falls as it gets colder; cold climate models keep heating well below freezing | The furnace takes over |
| Usually fits | Homes with gas and a working air conditioner | Homes without gas, or with electric heat today | Most Northeast Ohio homes with gas and ductwork |
Heat pump installation, repair and service
Ducted or ductless, alone or paired with a furnace, and serviced whoever installed it.
Cold climate heat pumps
Units built to keep heating well below freezing, sized by a Manual J load calculation on your actual house rather than the tonnage of whatever was there before.
Dual fuel systems
A heat pump paired with a gas or propane furnace. The controls hand the heating to the furnace below a switchover temperature set from your gas and electric rates.
Ductless heat pumps
Wall mounted mini split heads for additions, attic rooms, sunrooms and houses heated by a boiler with no ductwork at all.
Replacing an air conditioner
A heat pump cools exactly as an air conditioner does. When an AC is due, a heat pump in its place is often the simplest way into dual fuel.
Service and tune ups
A heat pump runs in both seasons, so it logs more hours than an AC. Charge, airflow and electrical checked, with the readings written down.
Repairs on every major brand
We service every major brand of heat pump no matter who installed it, and tell you straight whether the repair or a replacement is the better money.
How we size a heat pump for a Northeast Ohio house
A heat pump that is too big short cycles in summer and leaves the house clammy; too small, and the furnace does more of the winter than it should.
- Manual J load calculation on the house as it is, not the size of the old equipment
- Ductwork and static pressure checked, since a heat pump moves more air than many old systems were built for
- Refrigerant charge verified by superheat and subcooling at start up, not assumed
Heating first, or cooling first?
Most people come to a heat pump when an air conditioner or a furnace is due. Both pages cover the repair or replace question in more detail.
Heat pump questions from Northeast Ohio homeowners
If yours is not here, call and ask. We would rather answer it now than have you guess.
Do heat pumps work in Northeast Ohio winters?
Yes, and they have changed a lot. To earn ENERGY STAR's cold climate designation, a heat pump must still deliver at least 70 percent of its 47 degree heating capacity when it is 5 degrees F outside. For most Northeast Ohio homes we recommend a dual fuel setup: the heat pump cools the house and heats it in mild weather, and the furnace takes over in deep cold, or sooner when gas is the cheaper fuel at your rates.
Source: ENERGY STAR, Air Source Heat Pumps Key Product Criteria
What is a dual fuel heating system?
A dual fuel system pairs an electric heat pump with a gas or propane furnace. The heat pump heats the house in mild weather and cools it in summer, and the furnace takes over below a switchover temperature set from your gas and electric rates. The controls switch between them on their own, so the house just stays warm.
Is there still a federal tax credit for a heat pump in 2026?
Not the home improvement credit. The IRS says the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, which covered heat pumps, central air conditioners and gas furnaces, applies to improvements made through December 31, 2025, so a system installed in 2026 does not qualify for it. Utility and local rebates are separate programs, so ask your electric and gas companies what they offer before you buy.
Does a heat pump also cool the house?
Yes. A heat pump is an air conditioner that can also run in reverse. In summer it moves heat out of the house the same way a central air conditioner does, and in winter it moves heat in. Replacing an aging air conditioner with a heat pump is often the simplest way into dual fuel, because the furnace and the ductwork stay.
How long does a heat pump last?
In the analysis behind the current federal efficiency standards, the U.S. Department of Energy put the average heat pump lifetime at about 15 years. A heat pump runs in both seasons, so it logs more hours than an air conditioner that only runs in summer, which is why yearly maintenance matters more on one.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, central air conditioner and heat pump standards (Federal Register, 2017)
Should I get a ductless heat pump or a ducted one?
If the house already has sound ductwork, a ducted heat pump paired with the furnace usually makes the most sense. Ductless mini split heat pumps suit additions, attic rooms, sunrooms and homes heated by a boiler with no ducts at all. One outdoor unit can run several indoor heads, each controlled on its own.
Heat pump guides
- Where ductless mini splits make sense in a Northeast Ohio house
- What temperature does a heat pump stop working? How heat pumps handle a Northeast Ohio winter
- Is there still a heat pump tax credit in 2026? What ended, and what Ohio homeowners can still check
- Dual fuel heat pump or gas furnace? Choosing for a Northeast Ohio home
Where Raber HVAC works
Raber HVAC is based in Independence and serves Cuyahoga, Summit, Lorain, Medina, Lake, Geauga and Portage counties. Most of our work sits inside a forty minute drive. That is deliberate. A tight radius is what makes same day service possible instead of aspirational.
Including Independence, Cleveland, Parma, Strongsville, Brecksville, Broadview Heights, North Royalton, Seven Hills, Rocky River, Lakewood, Westlake, Cuyahoga Falls and the surrounding communities. See all 43 towns
Page last updated .
Thinking about a heat pump?
Call and ask how a heat pump or a dual fuel setup would compare with a straight replacement in your house.
Every day, 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM · 24/7 emergency service · OH LIC #28728