Heat pumps are versatile, energy-efficient alternatives to traditional natural gas furnaces and electric-resistance heating systems. Whether you live in climate zones 1-8, these systems best fit your home.
Look for models with variable-speed compressors. Models with single-speed compressors cycle on and off too frequently, reducing efficiency and potentially overworking components.
What is a Heat Pump?
A heat pump is a system that transfers heat from the outside air or ground to provide heating and cooling for buildings. It does so using technology similar to what’s found in a refrigerator or an air conditioner.
The volatile fluid inside an essential heat pump is compressed and sent to an indoor heat exchanger during heating mode. That exchanger sheds the heat into your home, which warms the house. That warm air, in turn, cools the refrigerant gas. When the cooled refrigerant returns to the outdoor unit, it absorbs heat energy from the cold air, and the cycle repeats itself. This saves energy and lowers your electricity costs. Compared to traditional electric heaters, it provides a more efficient alternative.
How Does a Heat Pump Work?
A heat pump warms homes during winter by extracting heat from the air and ground. It can also run in reverse during the summer to cool a home. Both functions rely on the same working fluid, refrigerant, which moves in a loop, soaking up and releasing heat.
The system relies on the law of thermodynamics, which says that hot always moves to cold. You can put a frozen soup bag in hot water to thaw it. And that’s why you can preheat your oven using the same principle as your refrigerator’s warming coils.
Heat pump Ottawa can be used with existing ductwork or installed as a ductless system in homes that don’t have ducts. Either way, they use less energy than traditional electric or gas furnaces.
Is a Heat Pump Right for Me?
Heat pumps are standard in warm climates, and they’re also affordable and energy-efficient. They can work all year and often qualify for significant government rebates.
Like refrigerators and air conditioners, they redistribute heat from the chilly environment indoors to the warm one outside. Refrigerant vapor is drawn out of the air or ground and pumped into an indoor air handler; the vapor absorbs the incoming warmth before returning to liquid form in the outdoor compressor.
A qualified HVAC professional will calculate the load to ensure your new system is appropriately sized. An improperly sized unit can cause inefficiency and discomfort. This can be avoided by working with a top-rated pro. They will check your home’s ducting, rooms, insulation, and electrical panel to determine the correct size equipment for your house.
How do I Know if I Need a Heat Pump?
Heat pumps are a good choice for most homeowners in many parts of the country, and they can save money year-round. Some even qualify for significant government rebates and incentives.
If you’re considering replacing your existing air conditioning, a heat pump is worth a closer look. In cooling mode, air-source heat pumps work precisely like standard air conditioners.
The critical difference is that in heating mode, they use metal coils to move heat from the air outside into your home, or vice versa. Getting an energy-efficient heat pump upgrade is smart for most homes, especially if you can seal and insulate your home before it gets installed. They also reduce your energy bills by a lot, and they’re easy to maintain.
What are the Benefits of a Heat Pump?
A heat pump is a highly energy-efficient, climate-friendly way to heat a home. It produces no fumes or open flames and relies on electricity, so it is a safer option for those who live with carbon monoxide or natural gas leaks in their homes.
It uses metal coils and a fan to absorb ambient heat and transfer it inside (or out, in cooling mode). It doesn’t burn fossil fuels or produce electricity via electrical resistance heating, so it consumes far less energy than traditional furnaces and electric air conditioners.
Ductless heat pumps offer a quick and easy way to add air conditioning to houses without existing ductwork. They use an outdoor unit that connects to one or more indoor air handler heads installed on the ceiling or walls.
