Tell us about the job
Takes about a minute. No obligation.
A contractor quoting a heat pump installation in Lee County has to work out what the system will be running against before they can size it correctly. 101 severe weather events were recorded in Lee County, Alabama between 2015 and 2024. At that rate, severe weather is a regular part of the operating environment here, and a system that is specified for mild conditions will be undersized from the day it goes in. Contractors factor that load into equipment selection, refrigerant line routing, and how the unit is mounted and protected on site.
Ductwork laid out for a different era of equipment does not automatically carry a heat pump well. Half the homes in Lee County, Alabama were built in 1997 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year). A contractor assessing a heat pump installation here has to open the system and measure what the existing runs will actually deliver before any equipment gets priced, because ducts sized for older conventional equipment can restrict airflow in ways that undercut a heat pump's efficiency and drive up the job's electrical demands. The electrical service gets the same scrutiny: a heat pump draws differently than what most of this stock was wired to support, and the panel either has the capacity or it needs work before the new unit goes in.
What Gets Installed With a New Heat Pump
The outdoor unit is the piece a homeowner sees first, sitting on a concrete pad beside the house. Inside, an air handler mounts in a utility closet, attic, or basement and moves conditioned air through the home. A refrigerant line set runs between the two, connecting the outdoor and indoor sides into one system.
A thermostat goes on an interior wall, usually in a central living area, and gives the homeowner control over the whole system. An expansion valve sits inside the system and regulates refrigerant flow between the two main units. The disconnect box mounts near the outdoor unit and gives a contractor a safe shutoff point for service work.
The drawing shows a general layout of these components, and a licensed contractor determines exactly how each one is placed and configured in your specific home.
Get matched in Lee CountyLee County, by the numbers
101 severe weather events were recorded in Lee County, Alabama between 2015 and 2024.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, bulk CSV export, events 2015-01-01 through 2024-12-31.Half the homes in Lee County, Alabama were built in 1997 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesLee County, Alabama holds 79,619 housing units (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesOwners occupy 66.3% of the occupied homes in Lee County, Alabama (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesCodes & Standards Behind Heat Pump Installation in Lee County, Alabama1 sourced rules and standards
Licensing Rules for Lee County, Alabama
Alabama requires state certification to do heating, air conditioning and refrigeration contracting: nobody may advertise, bid, pull permits or do the work unless the person in responsible charge is a certified contractor.
Severe Weather Events in Lee County
Weather extremes put a direct load on heating and cooling equipment, shaping how hard a heat pump has to work and how long it holds up. What hits Lee County shapes what a system installed here needs to handle.
101 severe weather events, 2015–2024. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database.