All you need to know about heat pumps and putting one in your home
Technological advancements to improve heating and cooling efficiency are constantly underway, but the advancement of the heat pump as an efficient household heating and cooling appliance has impressed many people lately, and for good reason. Instead of creating new heat, it takes heat from one place and deposits that heat to another place. During warm weather, it takes heat from inside and places it outdoors using a refrigerant in the pump.
Due in part to rising governmental standards, heat pumps are now far more efficient than ever before--by some estimates, up to 100% more efficient--which means that now is a better time than ever to buy these systems. If you're looking into the best heating system, then the money you save from spending on other heat sources will quickly outweigh the cost of installing a heat pump.
First, you must know if you're a good candidate for having a heat pump. What is the climate in your region? Does weather remain pretty temperate, or do temperatures swing violently in either direction during the year? Heat pumps are excellent choices for temperate climates. It is not the best choice in extremely cold and freezing weather, however. For much of the year, it will work like a charm for you, but when the temperatures drop into the deep-freezing dead of winter, you will need a backup-heating source. If you can afford both a heat pump and a gas furnace, then the gas furnace will be most efficient below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, while above that temperature (until around 70 degrees Fahrenheit) the heat pump will work best.
So, how do you find a heat pump to ensure that it works best for you? The first step is to choose a model:
Air-source heat pump.
Due in part to rising governmental standards, heat pumps are now far more efficient than ever before--by some estimates, up to 100% more efficient--which means that now is a better time than ever to buy these systems. If you're looking into the best heating system, then the money you save from spending on other heat sources will quickly outweigh the cost of installing a heat pump.
First, you must know if you're a good candidate for having a heat pump. What is the climate in your region? Does weather remain pretty temperate, or do temperatures swing violently in either direction during the year? Heat pumps are excellent choices for temperate climates. It is not the best choice in extremely cold and freezing weather, however. For much of the year, it will work like a charm for you, but when the temperatures drop into the deep-freezing dead of winter, you will need a backup-heating source. If you can afford both a heat pump and a gas furnace, then the gas furnace will be most efficient below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, while above that temperature (until around 70 degrees Fahrenheit) the heat pump will work best.
So, how do you find a heat pump to ensure that it works best for you? The first step is to choose a model:
Air-source heat pump.
We're all fairly familiar with the function of air conditioners. An air-to-air heat pump works basically the same way, except that it can switch from providing cold to providing heat. (These pumps each have a valve that determines the direction that the refrigerant flows within the device.)
Air-source heat pumps won't require the contractors to dig into your yard and bury anything, as will the ground-source ones. (Who knows what they might dig up?) However, you'll have to deal with the fact that it extends out into the cold, where frost can build up. Because the frost hampers the ability of it to provide heat, it has to occasionally divert its attention to thawing itself out--just like a refrigerator thawing cycle! This disrupts the flow of heat into your house until the air-source heat pump has satisfactorily thawed itself.
Ground-source heat pump.
Ground-source, or geothermal, heat pumps serve the same purpose, but instead of moving heat from the outside air into your home, they move heat from the ground (earth) into your home in cold months, and transfer heat from your house back into the ground in the summer. Because the temperature a few feet below the earth's surface is steady, and warmer in winter months than the outside air, performance can remain closer to the same level year-round.
Though digging (vertically or horizontally, depending upon available space) will be required to install the piping of the heat pump underground, these pumps will not suffer the defrost cycles that air source heat pumps have to endure; the whole unit, minus the underground piping, is actually indoors. However, installing one in the ground will also cost more than installing air source pumps.
Though digging (vertically or horizontally, depending upon available space) will be required to install the piping of the heat pump underground, these pumps will not suffer the defrost cycles that air source heat pumps have to endure; the whole unit, minus the underground piping, is actually indoors. However, installing one in the ground will also cost more than installing air source pumps.
Absorption heat pump.
The absorption heat pump is an option for large residences (those that are at least around 4,000 square feet). These types of systems are basically a type of air source heat pump that uses another heat source for energy. These sources could include natural gas, water that’s heated by solar or geothermal electricity, or propane. Models for smaller residences may be available in the future.
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