Most heat pump manufacturers make products in several sizes, measured by the amount of air they move. Units are designated by “tons”--a measurement that originally referred to the amount of ice needed to cool an equivalent amount of air. Typical home sizes range from 1 1/2- to 5-ton capacity.
Though sizing a system should be handled by a professional, you can get a rough idea of size by figuring about 400 square feet of living space per ton in older houses, so a 1,600- square-foot house would normally require about a 4-ton system. Newer houses with double-paned windows and more insulation can get by with smaller systems.
Prices for materials run from just under $2,000 for small, low-efficiency models to top-of-the- line, high-efficiency units at $7,500. Price goes up dramatically when you get into the high-efficiency models.
The most efficient heat pumps have variable- capacity controls. Rather than running the system at full-capacity all of the time, these controls coordinate the compressor and blower to adjust to your house’s heating and cooling load requirements at any given time. Because they seldom run at full speed, these heat pumps are quieter, not to mention that they save you money over the long haul.
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