Need A New HVAC System? 3 Things To Know About Heat Pumps

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Do you need to replace the HVAC system in your home and are considering a heat pump? If so, it will help to know a bit more about this unique way to both heat and cool your home. 

Heat Pumps Provide Heating And Cooling By Moving Heat

One of the big misconceptions about a heat pump is that the name implies that it only heats your home. That is not true, since it actually provides heating and cooling. It does this by moving heat either in or out of your home. In the summer, it moves the heat out of your home so that the air feels cool. In the winter, it takes heat outside and moves it into your home. Having a single appliance that performs both heating and cooling functions can be a very cost-effective way to control the temperature of your home. 

Heat Pumps Work By Using Refrigerant To Absorb Heat

How exactly does this type of HVAC system work? Your heat pump has coils that are cooled with refrigerant. When air flows over these coils, the heat is attracted to the refrigerant like a magnet. That heat then travels to another coil that is hot, where the heat is released from the refrigerant. This makes it possible to transfer the heat either in or out of your home. The heat pump is able to make the refrigerant hot by running it through a compressor, which very quickly heats up the refrigerant to the point where it absorbs heat. 

In order to cool the refrigerant, it flows through an expansion valve that causes the refrigerant to go into a larger space where it cools down quickly. Think of it as if you used a can of compressed air, and how that air feels very cold by releasing it from the can through a small valve into a larger space. The air in the can has room to expand as well, which makes the can feel colder. 

Heat Pumps Do Not Work Well In Extremely Cold Settings

A heat pump works well in climates that do not see temperatures that go below freezing because there is not enough heat from the outside to warm up your home effectively. However, you are not completely out of luck if you have a heat pump. It can still provide heat by using electricity to generate auxiliary heat. It will cost more money to use auxiliary heat, but if you infrequently see very cold temperatures, it can still be cost-effective. 

For more information, contact an HVAC professional

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11 May 2022

Shopping For A New HVAC System

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