How a Heat Pump Cools Your Home
In Albany, heat pumps can be a popular option for heating and cooling your home.
They seem almost like an air conditioner. In actuality, they operate in a similar fashion during hot weather. Since they have a reversing valve, they can transfer heat in the opposite direction as well as add comfort to your home when temperatures drop.
Not sure if you have a heat pump or an air conditioner? Simply find the model number on the outdoor unit and check it online. If it turns out you use a heat pump, or you’re thinking over getting one, discover how this HVAC equipment keeps homes cozy.
How Heat Pumps Run
Heat pumps use a refrigeration system much like an air conditioner. Most can run akin to a ductless mini-split, as they can heat and cool. Heat pumps depend on an indoor evaporator coil and an outdoor condensing coil. Refrigerant is moved through these coils to transfer warmth. The outdoor unit also uses a compressor and is encircled by metal fins that act as a heat sink to help move warmth properly.
Summertime Cooling
In cooling mode, the refrigerant begins in the evaporator coil. Air from within the house moves over the coil, and the refrigerant extracts warmth. Water in the air also condenses on the coil, dropping into the condensate pan below and moves away. The resulting cool air flows through the ductwork and back into your residence.
During this time, the refrigerant moves a compressor on its way to the outdoor coil. This compresses the refrigerant, forcing it to warm up. As it flows through the condensing coil, the outside fan and metal fins help to exhaust heat to the exterior. The refrigerant heads back into your house, traveling through an expansion valve that cools it considerably, readying it to begin the process from the start.
When your heat pump is put in and maintained correctly, you’ll enjoy efficient cooling similar to an energy-saving air conditioner.
Wintertime Heating
When your heat pump is heating, the heat exchange cycle takes place in reverse. By traveling in the opposite direction, refrigerant removes heat from the outdoor air and vents it into your residence to warm the inside.
Heat pumps running in heating mode are most effective when the temperature is above freezing outside. If it gets too chilly, a backup electric resistance heater turns on to keep your residence comfy, but your heating bills go up as a result.
Heat pumps operate longer than furnaces because the air doesn’t become as hot. This helps maintain a more even indoor temperature. Also, because heat pumps shift hot air rather than making it from a fuel source, they can work well above 100% efficiency. You should receive 30–40% savings on your heating costs by getting a heat pump.
Book Heat Pump Installation or Service Right Away
Heat pumps are a green choice and economical. They are an alternative to the standard AC/furnace system and need the same amount of maintenance—one checkup in the spring and another in the fall.
If you’d like to install a heat pump, Roland J. Down Service Experts is the contractor to call. We’ll size and install your system to meet your heating and cooling demands. And then we’ll uphold our services with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year. For more information, contact us at 518-417-2938 now.
