---
title: "Heat Pumps in Middle TN | Free Diagnostic Visit | Root House"
url: https://roothousemechanicals.com/hvac/heat-pumps
updated: 2026-09-29
business: "Root House Mechanicals"
phone: "(615) 426-9344"
text: "(615) 426-9344"
email: info@roothousemechanicals.com
hours: "Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m."
---

# Heat Pump Repair and Installation in Middle Tennessee

> Root House Mechanicals repairs, replaces and installs heat pumps for homes across Middle Tennessee, including dual-fuel systems paired with a gas furnace. A heat pump heats and cools with one system. The diagnostic visit is free, with a firm price before work starts. Call or text (615) 426-9344, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

- Call (615) 426-9344 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
- Text (615) 426-9344
- Email: info@roothousemechanicals.com

A heat pump heats and cools with the same equipment. In summer it moves heat out of the house, like any air conditioner. In winter it runs the other way and moves heat from the outdoor air in. Winters here are usually mild, with the occasional hard freeze, so heat pumps are common in Middle Tennessee homes.

We repair heat pumps that won't heat, won't cool or lean on backup heat too much, and we install new ones in replacements, additions and new construction. Heat pump work is done by licensed and insured techs. One call still covers the whole house.

## Signs you need heat pumps help

- Lukewarm air in winter, or warm air in summer
- The outdoor unit stays covered in ice for hours, not just a light frost that clears
- The thermostat shows backup or auxiliary heat running much of the time
- Electric bills in cold months jump more than they used to
- The system will not switch between heating and cooling
- Grinding, screeching or rattling from the outdoor unit
- The system runs constantly and never reaches the set temperature

## What we do

- **Heat pump repair.** Reversing valves, defrost boards and sensors, capacitors, contactors, fan motors and compressors. A diagnosis finds the part that failed before anything is replaced.
- **Refrigerant leaks.** Finding and repairing the leak, then charging the system to the manufacturer's specification. A heat pump that is low on refrigerant struggles in both seasons.
- **Backup heat.** The electric heat strips, or the gas furnace on a dual-fuel system, that help on the coldest days. Failed strips or sequencers are a common reason a heat pump cannot keep up in a cold snap.
- **Replacement and new installs.** Sizing a new heat pump to the house, matching the indoor and outdoor equipment, and setting up the thermostat so the heat pump and backup heat work together.
- **Dual-fuel systems.** A heat pump paired with a gas furnace. The heat pump carries most of the year, and the furnace takes over when it gets very cold outside.
- **New construction and renovations.** Heat pump rough-in and trim-out for new homes, additions and remodels, coordinated with the plumbing and electrical work so the trades are not working around each other.

## Repair or replace?

Most heat pump problems come down to one part: a capacitor, a contactor, a defrost control or a fan motor. Those are worth fixing, and we'll tell you so.

Replacement makes more sense when the compressor fails on an older system, when a refrigerant leak keeps coming back, or when the system uses R-22 refrigerant, which is no longer produced in the United States. It's also worth pricing when an older heat pump runs on backup heat much of the winter and your electric bills show it. We'll show you what we found and give you a firm price for each option.

## What it costs, and how we price it

What drives the price:

- Repair or replacement, and which part failed
- The size of the system and its efficiency ratings (SEER2 for cooling, HSPF2 for heating)
- Single-stage, two-stage or variable-speed equipment
- Electric heat strips or a gas furnace for backup, and whether the electrical service can carry the heat strips
- Whether the refrigerant lines, pad, ductwork or thermostat need replacing
- Permits and inspections the local jurisdiction requires

- The diagnostic visit: free.
- Firm price given before any work starts.
- Priced per job. Each job is priced on its own.
- Why prices stay down: low overhead, and the work done right the first time with current methods, equipment and quality materials, so customers are not paying for callbacks.

## How a visit works

1. **Call or text.** Call or text (615) 426-9344 and tell us what's going on. A photo helps. We work Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
2. **A free diagnostic visit.** We come look, find the cause and explain it in plain words. The visit is free.
3. **A firm price before any work starts.** You get the price for the job before we begin, so you can decide with real numbers.
4. **The work, done right the first time.** Current methods, good equipment and quality materials. We keep overhead low and skip the callbacks, which keeps prices down.
5. **Follow-up.** If anything we worked on gives you trouble, call or text the same number.

## Do heat pumps work in a Middle Tennessee winter?

Yes. Most winter days here are well within what a heat pump handles. On the coldest nights, backup heat (electric strips or a gas furnace) helps carry the load. Newer models, especially variable-speed and cold-climate units, keep heating at lower outdoor temperatures than older heat pumps did.

If your heat pump struggles every time it gets cold, it may be undersized, low on refrigerant, or set up with the wrong thermostat settings. Those are worth a look before you decide it's the wrong kind of system.

## What is emergency heat, and when should I use it?

Emergency heat is a thermostat setting, often labeled EM HEAT. It turns off the heat pump and runs only the backup heat. Use it when the outdoor unit is damaged, iced solid for hours or not running at all, then call us.

Backup heat costs more to run than the heat pump, so treat emergency heat as a stopgap until the repair, not a setting to leave on.

## Why is my heat pump steaming in the winter?

It's probably defrosting. In cold, damp weather, frost builds on the outdoor coil, and the heat pump runs a short defrost cycle to clear it. The outdoor fan stops, you may hear a whoosh, and steam rises off the unit for a few minutes. That's normal.

A thin layer of frost that comes and goes is fine. Thick ice that stays for hours, or a unit encased in ice, means the defrost cycle isn't working or something else is wrong.

## Heat pump or gas furnace?

It depends on whether the house has natural gas, what gas and electricity cost where you live, and how you like the heat to feel. A heat pump heats and cools with one system and burns nothing inside the house. A gas furnace puts out hotter air and doesn't slow down in a cold snap. A dual-fuel system uses both. We'll price the options for your house so you can compare them on real numbers.

## Where we offer heat pumps

- [Columbia, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/columbia-tn)
- [Spring Hill, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/spring-hill-tn)
- [Franklin, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/franklin-tn)
- [Thompson's Station, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/thompsons-station-tn)
- [Brentwood, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/brentwood-tn)
- [Nolensville, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/nolensville-tn)
- [Nashville, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/nashville-tn)
- [Murfreesboro, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/murfreesboro-tn)
- [Smyrna, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/smyrna-tn)
- [Mount Pleasant, TN](https://roothousemechanicals.com/service-areas/mount-pleasant-tn)

## Common questions

### Is the diagnostic visit really free?

Yes. We'll come look at your heat pump for free, tell you what's wrong and give you a firm price before any work starts. You decide from there.

### Who does the heat pump work?

Heat pump work is done by licensed and insured techs. Root House gives you the price, and one call still covers plumbing, HVAC and electrical.

### How long does a heat pump last?

Commonly around 10 to 15 years. Because a heat pump runs in summer and winter, regular maintenance matters more than it does for an air conditioner alone. Heavy use and dirty filters can shorten it.

### Should I cover my heat pump in the winter?

No. A heat pump runs all winter, and a cover blocks the airflow it needs. Keep leaves, snow and shrubs clear of it, and make sure water from the roof does not drip onto the unit and freeze.

### Can a heat pump replace my furnace and air conditioner?

Yes. A heat pump does both jobs. Some homes keep the gas furnace as backup heat (a dual-fuel system), and others use electric heat strips inside the air handler.

### Why is my electric bill so high in the winter?

Often it's backup heat. If the heat pump is struggling, the backup strips run more, and they use far more electricity. A thermostat set up for a furnace instead of a heat pump can do the same thing. Both are worth checking.

### Do you install heat pumps in new construction?

Yes. HVAC rough-in and trim-out for new homes, additions and remodels is a big part of the work, and a heat pump is a common choice for new homes.

## Related

- [Heating and Furnace Repair](https://roothousemechanicals.com/hvac/heating-repair)
- [AC Repair](https://roothousemechanicals.com/hvac/ac-repair)
- [HVAC Tune-Ups and Maintenance](https://roothousemechanicals.com/hvac/hvac-maintenance)
- [Ductless Mini-Splits](https://roothousemechanicals.com/hvac/ductless-mini-splits)
- [Smart Thermostats](https://roothousemechanicals.com/hvac/thermostats)
- [AC Installation and Replacement](https://roothousemechanicals.com/hvac/ac-installation)