Heat Pumps
What are Heat Pumps?
A heat pump works to transfer heat from one area to another. Although the name can mislead some, heat pumps work to provide both heating and cooling. In the summer it will take on the role of an air conditioner, and in the winter, it will become a heater to provide much-needed heat to your home.
How Does a Heat Pump Work?
It’s important to note that a heat pump does not create heat, it simply transfers it. A heat pump has the power to absorb heat from outside the home even in the coldest of temperatures, and transfer it to the air inside the home. It works in reverse when the air inside the home is hotter than the air outside.
What are Ductless Heat Pumps?
As heat pumps are often able to be used without ducts in the home, you’ll often hear them referred to as “ductless” A ductless heat pump has two components. It will have one outdoor unit which has a compressor and condenser, as well as one indoor unit that handles air. This type of heat pump is great for those looking to improve the current energy efficiency of their homes.
Benefits of a Heat Pump – Is the Heat Pump Cost Worth It?
Why should you choose a heat pump over a typical air conditioner or a gas furnace? You may be surprised by how a heat pump seems to blow away the competition.
All heat pumps only use electricity for power instead of the generation of heat, so they can be quite energy efficient. This means there will be a definite decrease in your electricity bills year-round. It will help you save money in both the summer and winter.
Not only this but using a heat pump helps to lessen your home’s carbon footprint. As a result of the heat pump system running on electricity, they don’t emit any of the harmful emissions that can negatively affect our earth.
FAQ
What is the average life expectancy of equipment?
Most systems have a lifetime of 10 to 20 years. As your equipment gets older, it’s efficiency can decrease dramatically. You may notice that it gets noisier and needs repairs more often. When a unit begins to show its age, you have two choices. You can overhaul the system or replace it. Because heating and cooling technologies improve over time, a new system designed with newer, more energy-efficient equipment makes sense, especially if your system is 10 or more years old. We can estimate the cost of a new system as well as a payback schedule that will show you how newer technology will pay you back in lower energy usage.
Will a bigger sized system perform better?
No, you don’t want your air conditioner to be too big. Air conditioners control the comfort level in your home by cooling the air and by removing humidity. An oversized air conditioner will cool your home faster, but it will use more energy and will not remove humidity adequately.
What do SEER, AFUE, and HSPF ratings mean for me?
SEER, AFUE and HSPF are all measures of energy efficiency. Air conditioners may look similar, but their Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) can vary widely. Higher SEER numbers save more money spent on electricity. A 13 SEER air conditioner, the EPA “current minimum standard”, uses 23% less energy than a 10 SEER unit (EPA standard up until Jan. 2006). Even though 13 SEER is the minimum efficiency available, we currently offer a line of air conditioners that start at 13 SEER and go all the way up to a 21 SEER . Depending on your average usage, higher SEER air conditioners can significantly reduce your electric bill.
Is Freon as a refrigerant being discontinued?
Yes. As of January 2010 the refrigerant R-22 (what consumers call Freon®) is no longer allowed to be used in the manufacturing of new equipment. R-22 has been used as the “standard” refrigerant for many years but has been found to be harmful to our planet by our government. All new air conditioners and heat pumps use R-410A, the more “environmentally sound” refrigerant.
