Kofi Amoah
Owner and master installer
Dual-fuel heating and cooling · Columbia, MD
A heat pump for most days, a furnace for the coldest ones
We install and service dual-fuel systems in Howard County: an electric heat pump that does the everyday work, and a gas furnace that steps in when the air outside gets too cold for it.
One diagram
When the pump hands off to the furnace
A heat pump gets weaker as the air outside gets colder. A furnace does not. One control decides, minute by minute, which of the two runs. The temperatures below are examples: yours are set from your house and your gas and electric rates.
| Gas furnace | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Mild days, down to about 40°F | Gas furnaceRests | Heat pumpHeats the whole house on its own |
| Cold days, about 25°F to 40°F | Gas furnaceReady. Joins in if the house starts to fall behind | Heat pumpStill heating, working harder as it drops |
| Below the switchover, about 25°F | Gas furnaceTakes over the whole job | Heat pumpStops. The outdoor unit rests |
| Summer | Gas furnaceRests | Heat pumpCools the house, like any air conditioner |
What we do
Dual-fuel work, start to finish
Most of our calls are about one of these six things.
New dual-fuel system
A heat pump and a gas furnace, sized together from a load calculation and set up to share one set of ducts.
A heat pump added to your furnace
If your furnace is in good shape, we can keep it and add the heat pump in front of it.
Furnace replacement
When the furnace wears out, we replace it with one that works with the heat pump you have or plan to add.
Handoff tuning
We set the switchover temperature, check the control and walk you through the thermostat.
Spring and fall visits
The pump before the cooling season, the furnace before the heating season.
See the calendarRepairs
Heat pump, furnace, air conditioning and thermostat repairs, with the cause explained before the part is ordered.
The family
Two generations on the same trucks
Kofi started the company out of his garage in Columbia. Today Adwoa runs the office, their son Kojo leads the install crews, their daughter Nana runs service, and Kwesi is learning the trade from all of them.
When you call, one of the family answers or calls you back. You'll know the people who come to the door.
Written quote before work starts
The person who measured your house is on the install
We explain the thermostat before we leave
The seasonal calendar
A year with a dual-fuel system
What we do, and what you do, in each part of the year.
- January – March
The coldest weeks
The furnace carries the house below the switchover.
We: check the handoff, the vents and the flue on any heating call
You: keep snow and ice off the outdoor unit
- April – June
Back to cooling
The heat pump becomes your air conditioner.
We: tune up the pump and clear the condensate drain
You: change the filter and keep two feet clear around the outdoor unit
- July – September
Cooling season
The furnace sits idle. The pump does the work.
We: repair calls for a house that will not cool
You: book the fall visit before the first cold night
- October – December
Test the handoff
Before you need the furnace, we make sure it starts.
We: safety check on the furnace, flue and carbon monoxide alarm, then a forced handoff test
You: replace alarm batteries and run the heat once
Who you'll meet
The Amoah family and crew
Adwoa Amoah
Co-owner, office and scheduling
Kojo Amoah
Install crew lead
Nana Amoah
Service manager
Rakesh Iyer
Lead service technician
Kwesi Amoah
Apprentice technician
Neighbors
What Howard County homeowners say
“The furnace never seemed to start on the cold nights, and then I understood it was the heat pump doing the work. Nana drew the same picture on our kitchen table.”
Harjit S.Ellicott City
“We kept our furnace and added the pump. Kojo showed us where the handoff is set and left the number on a card by the thermostat.”
Hala A.Columbia
“They called me back the same afternoon and sent the quote in writing, line by line, so I could compare it with the other two.”
Joon H.Clarksville
Sample reviews.
Service area
Columbia and the towns around it
The shop is on Rumsey Road. If your town isn't listed, call and ask.
Howard County
- Columbia
- Ellicott City
- Elkridge
- Clarksville
- Glenwood
- West Friendship
- Marriottsville
- Savage
- Woodbine
- Cooksville
- Glenelg
Anne Arundel County
- Odenton
Baltimore County
- Catonsville
- Halethorpe
We don't work in Baltimore City, Frederick County or Montgomery County. For those, call a firm closer to you.
ZIP codes: 21029, 21042, 21043, 21044, 21045, 21046, 21075, 21737, 21797, 20763
Questions
Before you call
What is a dual-fuel system?
A heat pump and a gas furnace installed together. The heat pump heats and cools. The furnace runs only when it is cold enough that the furnace is the better choice.
Who decides when the furnace takes over?
A control does, using the outdoor temperature. We set the switchover with you at the install and can change it later.
Can I keep my furnace?
Often, if it is in good condition and the coil and ducts fit. We check at the visit and tell you plainly if it should go.
What if I smell gas or my carbon monoxide alarm sounds?
Get everyone outside and call 911 first. Call us after the gas utility or the fire department says it is safe.
Get a quote
Tell us what you have now
We'll call to set a time for a visit. The quote comes in writing after it.
Phone(410) 555-0102
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- SundayToday
- Closed