Heat pump installers in Chicago

September 5, 2022 1:16 PM

Promopted by this question. We're in Chicago and we're trying to find contractors to install a heat pump. It's been weird even for the current weird contractor environment (we've also had work done by plumbers and electricians in the past 12 months, so we have a bit of a baseline) and we'd like to solicit opinions on whether we're approaching this the wrong way.

We've been getting quotes for both heat pump mini-splits independent from the gas furnace and a low-temp heat pump plus air handler plus heat strips (to replace the natural gas furnace outright and use the existing ducts). Our experiences have been all over the place, ranging from "heat pumps don't work in Chicago," to at least one relatively reasonable quote, to what we assume are "fuck you" quotes (literally multiples of the reasonable quote, for no reason that's obvious to us). At least one contractor ghosted after a walkthrough without providing a quote at all, and I've gotten the distinct impression we'd be the first job of this type for a lot of the contractors, which is not confidence-inspiring. Several have mentioned that we'd need to sign a waiver in case we're unsatisfied with the installed system's performance (!). Note that while Chicago averages only four nights per year below 0 °F, we've actually been seeing what might be an uptick in near-record lows in the past decade as the polar vortex wanders down into North America--there were two sub-negative 20 °F nights in January 2019, for instance.

I realize heat pump heating, especially the low-temp models (e.g. Mitsubishi's Hyper Heat), are a realtively new technology and are outside the comfort zone of a lot of contractors. Ideally, though, we'd like to choose from at least a small selection of relatively similar/competitive quotes, but it's not clear we're going to get that many unless we turn up some new options. What's the best call here? Are we really going out on a limb by relying on electric heat, especially if we go for the furnace replacement option? If you're in the Chicagoland area and did something similar, can you recommend an installer?

posted by pullayup to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

I realize heat pump heating, especially the low-temp models (e.g. Mitsubishi's Hyper Heat), are a realtively new technology and are outside the comfort zone of a lot of contractors.

Maybe the low-temp models are new-ish, but any hvac contractor should have no problem with a regular heat pump. They’ve been around for decades.

Being in Chicago, though, might be an issue. That’s pretty far north for a heat pump. I’m south of you in Indianapolis, and, while my heat pump seems to do fine in the winter, when it gets especially cold (in the teens) the system starts leaning on the auxiliary heating strips in the air handler fairly regularly, which doesn’t help the electric bill.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:01 PM on September 5, 2022 [1 favorite]

New high-efficiency heat pump technology does work well in cold climates...that is a change from the past. I know some people who use heat pumps in Vermont, though they both have a backup (wood stove for one, oil heat for the other). Geothermal heat pumps (underground) work even in the coldest temps, though they're way more expensive. I wonder if the number of installers is going to grow quickly with the new IRA incentives. I would ask your question on Nextdoor for your neighborhood, probably the best place to get a recommendation.
posted by pinochiette at 3:53 PM on September 5, 2022

You might try going the other way, find a brand of reputable low-temp heat pumps and get recommendations from the manufacturer. (Not a recommendation, but for example Carrier.) This assumes there is some kind of vetting from the manufacturer, and desire from the installer to not piss off their supplier, which might be incorrect.
posted by Ookseer at 4:38 PM on September 5, 2022 [2 favorites]

We're in coastal Massachusetts, and have Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat heat pumps with no backup, in a new (3 years) house built better than code with respect to insulation, infiltration, etc. On "normal" winter days (say 20F) the system works well. On our coldest days, it is just adequate. Our worst day last winter had a low around 2F but with gale force wind.
posted by mr vino at 6:07 PM on September 5, 2022 [1 favorite]

(Note that, unless I'm misreading the question, the OP didn't ask for advice about how well a heat pump will work in Chicago, just advice on how to find a contractor or contractors for heat pump installation in Chicago)
posted by wesleyac at 5:41 AM on September 6, 2022

I was also going to suggest asking the manufacturer for recommendations. They have an incentive for you to have a successful installation. If you're not bothered by exactly which product you have installed, you can try getting lists from a few manufacturers.
posted by plonkee at 8:50 AM on September 6, 2022

Try Abt. I got a quote from them to install a Mitsubishi mini-split; it wasn't the cheapest quote I got, but it was reasonable, and their reputation is stellar.
posted by likedoomsday at 7:04 PM on September 6, 2022 [2 favorites]

I had a heat pump installer with decent reviews quote a high-ish but not crazy price, then when I verbally agreed, kept sending me wrong written estimates. Like for the wrong equipment, quoting removing a gas furnace when I have electric, describing the right thing but getting the wrong model number, etc. Any one would seem like an honest error, but we went through that like 4 times before I told him he had one more chance to send me an accurate statement of what he was going to do. He sent me another wrong one.

I can only figure he didn't really want to do it, but for some reason wouldn't just say so? It was weird.
posted by ctmf at 12:32 AM on September 7, 2022