The official start of spring is just around the corner, bringing unpredictable weather. Longer, warmer days are ahead, but winter is still competing for time in the spotlight. The morning forecast calls for a parka, but by afternoon you’re wearing a t-shirt. A one-week span can see outdoor temperatures range from freezing to summer-like.

In the heating and air-conditioning industry, this is what we consider a “shoulder” season. Fortunately, there are solutions to efficiently maintain your comfort indoors, even as outdoor temperatures fluctuate.

Enter: Heat Pumps

All-electric cold-climate heat pumps work by absorbing and moving heat energy from place to place via refrigerant. They’ll pump heat out of your home to deliver air conditioning, but heat pumps also provide heating by transferring heat energy drawn from outdoor air to the indoor unit. The process is much cleaner and more environmentally friendly than fossil-fuel burning systems.

In addition to being a more sustainable choice overall, heat pumps are an ideal solution for comfort during shoulder seasons. They provide reliable, energy-efficient heating and air conditioning to homes of all shapes and sizes. Until those summer temperatures are here to stay, enjoy heating as needed with options to set back units’ temperature set points on warm days or turn them off altogether if there’s a mild week in the forecast. When cold air comes back for an encore, the set point can be adjusted to keep you comfortable indoors. Then, when the time comes, you can switch your heat pump system to air-conditioning or use on “auto” mode for seamless comfort control.

Out with the Old, In with the New

Replacing your system may be the best move for your comfort and utility bills. Consider the upgrade just another part of this year’s spring cleaning.

Mini- and multi-split heat pumps are also unique in their ability to deliver personalized comfort to either a whole home or distinct zones within a home. Equipped with INVERTER-driven compressors, these Mitsubishi Electric systems offer variable capacity and cold-climate performance for a precise, reliable, on-demand approach to heating and air conditioning. While fixed-speed compressors used by many conventional central systems are either shut off or running at full capacity, variable-capacity heat pumps run continuously in the background and adjust speed and capacity as needed to maintain the temperature set point. This method of operation reduces power consumption by only using the precise amount of energy required for comfort. Homeowners benefit from fewer temperature swings, improved efficiency and cost savings, even during the shoulder season when your heating needs may vary widely.

Zone Your Comfort

Multi-zone cold-climate heat pump systems are great for homes with varying comfort needs. Each outdoor unit can connect to up to eight indoor units, creating unique comfort zones within a home.

Zoning can be especially useful in irregularly used rooms and for addressing hot and cold spots. If a certain area of your home, such as an attic, basement or room addition, is susceptible to outdoor temperature fluctuations, a high-performance heat pump can help resolve comfort issues while still delivering efficient, cost-saving operation.

Any Home, Anywhere

Modern heat pumps, like our M-Series products, are amenable to homes in all climate zones, thanks to our Hyper-Heating INVERTER® (H2i®) technology. With the ability to perform at 100 percent of rated capacity in outdoor ambient temperatures as low as 5° F, and continuous operation down to -13° F, units equipped with hyper-heat keep homeowners comfortable when they need heat most.

While the shoulder season may look a bit different for homeowners in the far north than for southerners, Mother Nature is probably starting to tease you with signs of spring no matter where you call home.

Visit MitsubishiComfort.com for more information about our products and technologies.