If you are moving to New Hanover, Pender, or Brunswick County from the Northeast or Midwest, you are likely used to a furnace that roars to life and blasts 120-degree air from the vents.

When you buy a home in Wilmington or Hampstead, you will likely encounter a different beast: The Heat Pump.

Newcomers often think their heat pump is broken because the air "doesn't feel hot" or because the outdoor unit is "smoking" on a cold morning. Rest assured, it is likely working perfectly. In our mild Zone 8b climate, the heat pump is the undisputed king of efficiency—if you know how to use it.

Here is your crash course on the machinery that keeps the Cape Fear region comfortable.

1. The "Reverse Refrigerator" Concept

A furnace creates heat by burning gas or oil. A heat pump moves heat.

How it works: Even when it is 40°F outside, there is still heat energy in the air. A heat pump captures that ambient heat, compresses it (which makes it hot), and pumps it inside. In summer, it simply reverses the flow, pulling heat out of your house and dumping it outside.

The "Lukewarm" Air: Because it moves heat rather than creating it with fire, the air coming out of your vents will measure around 90°F–95°F. This is warmer than the room (70°F), so it will heat your house, but it is cooler than your body temperature (98.6°F).

The Feeling: If you put your hand over the vent, it might feel "cool" relative to your skin. This is normal. Don't crank the thermostat thinking it needs to "catch up."

2. The "Smoke" on the Patio (Defrost Mode)

This is the #1 panic call we receive in January.

The Scenario: It’s a frosty 30-degree morning. You look out the window and see your outdoor unit vibrating and releasing a giant cloud of white "smoke."

The Reality: It is steam, not smoke.

The Fix: When it’s freezing outside, ice forms on the outdoor coils. The system senses this and temporarily switches to "Defrost Mode." It reverses the flow to heat up the outdoor coils and melt the ice. The steam is just the ice melting off. Do not turn the unit off; let it finish its cycle (usually 10–15 minutes).

3. The "Burning Dust" Smell (Auxiliary Heat)

Heat pumps have a backup generator called "Heat Strips" (or Emergency Heat). These are electric coils—like inside a toaster—that kick on only when it’s too cold for the heat pump to keep up (usually below 30°F).

The Smell: If you haven't used the heat strips since last winter, they are covered in dust. When they turn on for the first time, that dust burns off, creating a distinct burning smell.

The Advice: It should dissipate in 20 minutes. If it persists or you see smoke inside, call a pro.

4. The "Set It and Forget It" Rule

With a gas furnace, you save money by turning the thermostat down to 62°F while you sleep and back up to 70°F in the morning.

The Trap: If you do this with a heat pump, you will likely trigger the Auxiliary Heat Strips to bridge that 8-degree gap quickly.

The Cost: Heat strips are incredibly expensive to run (3x the cost of the heat pump).

The Fix: Set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature (e.g., 68°F) and leave it there. The heat pump is designed to maintain a temperature steadily, not to make massive jumps.

5. The Coastal Killer: Salt Corrosion

In Wrightsville Beach or Surf City, salt air eats standard HVAC units for lunch.

Galvanic Corrosion: Standard units use copper tubes and aluminum fins. Salt acts as an electrolyte, causing these two metals to eat each other. The fins turn to dust, and the unit dies in 5–7 years.

The Solution:

• Coated Coils: Look for units with a factory "Coastal" coating or an aftermarket spray like GulfCoat.
• All-Aluminum Coils: Brands like Trane (with Spine Fin™ coils) or Carrier often use all-aluminum construction, which eliminates the dissimilar metal reaction.
• The Rinse: Rinse your outdoor unit with a gentle garden hose (no pressure washer!) once a month to wash off the salt crust.

The Bottom Line

The heat pump is a marvel of engineering perfectly suited for our mild winters. It will save you hundreds of dollars a year over a propane furnace—provided you resist the urge to fiddle with the thermostat.

At Aspyre Realty Group, we check the age and condition of the heat pump on every showing. We know the difference between a unit that is "steaming" because it's defrosting and one that is smoking because the compressor just blew.