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A contractor quoting a heat pump install here has to size it against what this county actually asks of equipment, and that starts with the weather record. 102 severe weather events were recorded in Union County, Illinois between 2015 and 2024. At that rate, severe weather is real but not the dominant variable shaping how a system performs. What a contractor gets wrong at installation, whether that is an undersized unit, poor refrigerant line routing, or inadequate airflow planning, will cost a homeowner more over the life of the system than the weather will. A licensed contractor sizes to the structure and the local climate together, not to a catalog spec.
Ductwork laid down for a furnace carries air at different volumes and velocities than a heat pump needs, and in Union County a large share of the housing was built before heat pumps were a residential option at all. Half the homes in Union County, Illinois were built in 1975 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year). That gap between when the house was built and what a contractor is now asked to put in it means the existing duct runs get measured and tested before any equipment gets priced. Electrical service gets the same attention. A panel from that era often predates the circuits a modern heat pump draws on, and a contractor sizing one here will check the service before committing to a unit.
What Gets Installed With a New Heat Pump
The outdoor unit is the piece a homeowner sees first, mounted on a pad beside the house, and it holds the compressor and the coil that pull heat from the outside air. Inside, an air handler sits in a utility space, basement, or closet and circulates conditioned air through the home. Together these two units do the work.
A refrigerant line set runs between the outdoor unit and the air handler, connecting the two and carrying the refrigerant that moves between them. A thermostat goes on an interior wall and gives the homeowner control over the whole system. Some homes also receive a supplemental electric heat strip inside the air handler to handle the coldest stretches.
The drawing shows a typical layout, and a licensed contractor determines exactly which components and configurations apply to your specific home.
Get matched in Union CountyUnion County, Illinois, by the numbers
102 severe weather events were recorded in Union County, Illinois 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 Union County, Illinois were built in 1975 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesUnion County, Illinois holds 7,851 housing units (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesOwners occupy 77.4% of the occupied homes in Union County, Illinois (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesRules & Standards Governing Heat Pump Installation in Union County, Illinois1 sourced rules and standards
Licensing Rules for Union County, Illinois
Illinois leaves HVAC licensing to the municipality: state law lets the corporate authorities of each city or village examine, license and regulate heating, air conditioning and refrigeration contractors, and caps the licence fee they may charge at $50 — so who licenses you depends on the town you work in.
Severe Weather in Union County
Weather patterns in Union County put real demands on heating and cooling equipment over time. A heat pump that fits the local climate handles those demands without being pushed past what it was sized to do.
102 severe weather events, 2015–2024. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database.