Trusted Austin Heat Pump Installation & Replacement
One system that cools you through August and heats you through a hard freeze, sized specifically for your home. Lantz Home Services has installed and serviced HVAC across central Texas since 1972, and every heat pump we install starts with a real load calculation, not a guess off your old unit's nameplate.
Call (512) 710-1132
Family-owned since 1972. We install equipment we're willing to service for the next 15 years, because we will be the ones servicing it.
Load calculation on every install. Most comfort complaints we see trace back to a system that was sized by rule of thumb. We measure, we don't assume.
Our techs, not subcontractors. The crew in your home is licensed, background-checked, and on the LHS payroll.
IS A HEAT PUMP RIGHT FOR YOUR HOME?
Bottom line: if you're facing an AC replacement, a heat pump deserves a serious look, because you're already buying the expensive half of the system. Here's how we think about the most common situations we walk into:
Your central AC is dying. This is the ideal moment. A heat pump is essentially a two-way air conditioner, so instead of replacing the AC and keeping an aging furnace, one system handles both jobs. We'll quote it both ways so you can compare real numbers, not sales pitches.
You heat with propane. In most of our service area, a heat pump costs meaningfully less to run than propane heat, and you stop worrying about tank levels and winter delivery prices. This is one of the strongest financial cases for switching anywhere in the country, and it's common in the rural and lakefront homes we serve.
You heat with electric resistance (heat strips or baseboards). A heat pump delivers the same warmth for roughly a third of the electricity. If your winter bills spike every January, this is why.
You have natural gas. The math is closer. Gas is cheap, and for some homes a dual-fuel setup (heat pump primary, gas furnace backup) is the smartest configuration. We'll tell you honestly if keeping gas heat makes sense for your home.
You're adding space. Garage apartments, casitas, additions, shops, and bonus rooms are perfect candidates for ductless mini-splits. You get independent temperature control without tearing into your existing ductwork.
WHAT WE INSTALL
Ducted whole-home heat pumps. The most common installation. Uses your existing ductwork with a new outdoor unit and indoor air handler. If you're replacing central AC, this is usually a one-day swap. We inspect and pressure-test your ducts as part of the estimate, because a high-efficiency system feeding leaky ducts is money out the soffit.
Ductless mini-splits. One or more wall-mounted indoor heads connected to an outdoor unit. No ducts required. Right answer for homes without ductwork, additions, and single problem rooms. Single-zone systems are the most efficient. Multi-zone systems make sense for several duct-free rooms, but past three heads per outdoor unit, efficiency and reliability start to slip, and we'll say so before you buy.
Dual-fuel systems. A heat pump paired with a gas or propane furnace as backup. The heat pump carries the load 95% of the winter, and the furnace takes over only in the deepest cold. Best of both worlds for homeowners who want maximum freeze insurance.
Cold-climate rated equipment. Where the home and budget call for it, we install cold-climate models that maintain full heating capacity well below freezing. More on why that matters below.
HOW WE SIZE FOR TEXAS: THE PART MOST COMPANIES SKIP
This is where installations succeed or fail, and it's where we win.
We run a Manual J load calculation. Square footage alone doesn't size a system. Insulation, window orientation, ceiling height, duct condition, and shade all change the answer. An oversized heat pump short-cycles, wears out early, and never runs long enough to dehumidify. In our August humidity, that means a house that's cold and clammy at the same time.
We size for the freeze, not the average. Everybody here remembers February 2021. Every heat pump we install is selected to carry your home through a multi-day hard freeze, and we include backup heat strips where it makes sense as insurance. You get efficient heat pump operation 98% of the winter and a safety net for the other 2%. If a company quotes you a heat pump without discussing freeze performance, get a second opinion. We're happy to be that second opinion.
We check your electrical panel. Older homes sometimes need panel work before a heat pump and backup heat can be added safely. Because LHS is also a licensed electrical contractor, that's one crew and one accountable company instead of a finger-pointing exercise between your HVAC guy and an electrician.
WHAT DOES HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION COST?
Honest answer: it depends on your home, and anyone quoting a firm price before seeing your house is guessing.
What moves the number:
- System type and size. A single-zone mini-split is a fraction of the cost of a whole-home ducted system.
- Efficiency tier. Good, better, and best equipment tiers with different SEER2 ratings and features like variable-speed compressors.
- Ductwork condition. Sound ducts keep costs down. Leaky or undersized ducts need attention or they'll eat your efficiency gains.
- Electrical work. Panel capacity and circuit runs, handled in-house.
- Backup heat configuration. Heat strips or dual-fuel.
Every LHS estimate includes good/better/best options in plain English with estimated operating costs for our climate, so you're comparing total cost of ownership, not just sticker price. No tonight-only pricing, ever.
Rebates: utility and co-op rebate programs for high-efficiency heat pumps change year to year. When we quote your system, we check what's currently available for your address and handle the paperwork we can. We won't promise you an expired program.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON INSTALLATION DAY
- Arrival and walkthrough. The crew confirms the plan with you before touching anything.
- Removal of old equipment. Refrigerant is recovered properly and old equipment is hauled off. Floors and work areas are protected.
- Installation. Outdoor unit set and leveled, indoor unit or heads mounted, refrigerant lines run, electrical connected, condensate drainage routed correctly (a shortcut spot where cheap installs fail in Texas humidity).
- Commissioning. We verify refrigerant charge, airflow, and thermostat staging. A heat pump that isn't commissioned is just expensive equipment installed at random.
- Walkthrough with you. How to run it efficiently in our climate, including why "set it and leave it" beats big thermostat swings with a heat pump.
Most whole-home installations are completed in one day.
AFTER THE INSTALL
You're not buying a box, you're buying the next 15 years of comfort. Every installation includes manufacturer warranty registration handled by us, our workmanship guarantee, and the option to join an LHS maintenance plan. Because heat pumps run year-round in this climate rather than sitting idle half the year, annual maintenance directly extends equipment life. And if anything ever acts up, our team services what we sell, same company, same standards.
Get a Heat Pump Sized for Your Home, Not a Sales Quota
Free in-home estimates. Real load calculations. Honest comparisons against replacing what you have. From the family that's kept central Texas comfortable since 1972. Leave it to Lantz.
Heat Pump Repair and Service
Not every struggling system needs replacing, and we'd rather tell you that than sell you equipment you don't need. If your heat pump is under 7 years old, a targeted repair is almost always the right money. Weak cooling, ice on the outdoor unit, a system blowing cool air in heat mode, or an aux heat light that won't go off are usually fixable problems, not death sentences.
Our heat pump repair team services all major brands, whoever installed them. Every service call includes a full diagnostic with a firm price before work begins, and a freeze-readiness check so your backup heat is ready before the next hard freeze, not discovered dead during one. Most repairs finish in one visit because our trucks are stocked for the failures this climate actually produces.
Because the same family company handles both repairs and installations, nobody here earns more by steering you toward new equipment. If a fix makes sense, we fix it.
When you need plumbing, HVAC, or electrical service in Austin, TX, trust the local team dedicated to serving Central Texas homeowners with dependable service and professional care.
HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION FAQ
How long does installation take?
Most whole-home replacements are done in one day. Mini-split installs are often faster. Jobs involving duct repair or panel upgrades may take longer, and we'll tell you up front.
Can a heat pump really handle a Texas summer?
Yes. Cooling is a heat pump's native job, and high-efficiency models cool more effectively and more cheaply than most of the aging AC systems we replace.
What about the next big freeze?
We spec for it. Cold-climate rated equipment where appropriate, backup heat strips or dual-fuel as insurance, and sizing based on freeze conditions rather than average winter days.
Should I replace my furnace at the same time as my AC?
Usually yes, and this is exactly the moment a heat pump makes sense. One system, one install, one maintenance schedule. We'll quote a like-for-like replacement alongside the heat pump option so the comparison is real.
Do you install mini-splits in garages and shops?
All the time. Shops, garage apartments, casitas, and additions are some of our most common mini-split installs across the lakes.
Which brands do you install?
Ask us for current equipment lines during your estimate. We select brands based on reliability in our climate and parts availability, because a great warranty means nothing if the part takes three weeks to arrive.