This is a good question and it’s one we get often. Heat pumps aren’t as recognizable as furnaces or other heating appliances like space heaters, so it’s fairly normal to have a skewed idea of how they work. Think of it this way: try imagining a heat pump in your head. Do you know what it looks like, sounds like, or runs like? If the answer is “no” or “not really,” then this is the blog post for you.
Let’s get you well acquainted with heat pump technology! These systems are powerful, versatile, and highly efficient heating and cooling systems. They’re all the rage these days and they’re going to be one of the most useful tools we have to lower carbon emissions and fight climate change.
We’re going to talk about why a heat pump in Hunterdon, NJ might be the best purchase for your home.
How a Heat Pump Works
Heat pumps work like central air conditioners. They use refrigerant to draw heat in from one location through evaporation, and then condense the refrigerant to deposit the heat in another location. It’s truly an amazing process that requires very little energy when compared to other heating methods. A heat pump doesn’t create heat, it simply moves it from one location to another using electricity and refrigerant.
Where a heat pump differs from a central air conditioner is when it runs in reverse. Your AC draws heat from the inside and send it outside, cooling your house. A heat pump can run the opposite way, drawing heat from the outdoor air and bringing it inside where your family feels it. Neat, right?
Heat Pumps Can Be Ductless Too!
Don’t be concerned if you’re missing air ducts. Heat pumps come in ductless form, so you can have small, individual air handlers installed in key areas of your home to provide warmth in the winter and AC in the summer. These systems are perfect for large homes and people with different comfort preferences in different rooms.
Efficiency Is Key
Did we mention that heat pumps are some of the most efficient heating and cooling models on the market? Relative to a furnace, a heat pump runs at comparable energy consumption rates, and it does so with electricity instead of gas. And, to make things even better, if you set your home up with solar power in the future, that can help provide you with free heating and cooling throughout the year.
They’re Still Powerful Heating Systems
At this point, you might be thinking, “this is all well and good, but how does a heat pump compare to a powerful heating system like a furnace?” Well, the truth might surprise you.
Heat pumps are more reliable than homeowners think. Even when temperatures drop below freezing, they can still extract ambient heat from the air and send it inside to be felt by you and your family. They even have a recovery mode for when temperatures get extremely cold so they can continue running and won’t freeze up.
Overall, a heat pump can be a great heating system for the fall, winter, and spring, as long as it’s installed and maintained by a pro.
Schaible’s Plumbing & Heating Inc. is the team to call for your next heat pump installation.