Local Projects · Installation & Replacement
Adding a heat pump while keeping the furnace in Shoreline
Did adding a heat pump mean giving up the existing gas furnace? That was one of the practical questions at this Shoreline home.
Keeping useful equipment was part of the homeowner’s decision. Retaining the furnace meant the project could add heat-pump heating and cooling without buying a replacement furnace as well. Talking through both approaches helped make the scope and cost decisions clearer.
Keeping what still fits
During the visit, we discussed replacing the full system or adding a heat pump to the furnace already in place. The homeowner was open to either approach but wanted to understand whether replacing the furnace was necessary.
The conversation also turned to airflow upstairs. We looked at possible routes for another return, considering the closet, floor framing and space around the chimney. Exploring those options helped show what might be involved in changing airflow within the existing house.
The selected installation kept the American Standard gas furnace and added a Mitsubishi outdoor heat pump, an intelli-HEAT coil and an MHK2 wireless controller. The project also included a dedicated electrical circuit with GFCI protection and an extended electrical run.
The installation
The before and after photos show the change in the same indoor closet. The furnace remains, with the new heat-pump equipment connected to the system. Outside, the Mitsubishi unit sits on a pad beside the house.
Completed in September 2026, this project shows one way to add heat-pump heating and cooling while retaining an existing furnace. The decision came from working through the homeowner’s goals, the equipment already there and the space available for the installation.
Planning your own project?
If you want to add cooling or explore heat-pump heating, start with the question this homeowner raised: what can stay? Reviewing the existing furnace and the house together helps define the options worth comparing.
