In Boise, heat pumps can be a popular choice to heat and cool your house.
They seem about the same as an air conditioner. In actuality, they operate in a nearly identical way during the summer. Since they have a reversing valve, they can move heat in the opposite direction as well as add comfort to your home in the winter.
Not sure if you have a heat pump or an air conditioner? All you have to do is track down the model number on the outdoor unit and look it up online. If you find you have a heat pump, or you’re thinking about getting one, learn more about how this HVAC equipment keeps residences comfy.
How Heat Pumps Operate
Heat pumps depend on a refrigeration system much like an air conditioner. Most can run like a ductless mini-split, because they can heat and cool. Heat pumps use an indoor evaporator coil and an outdoor condensing coil. Refrigerant is sent through these coils to move warmth. The outdoor unit also has a compressor and is enclosed by metal fins that work as a heat sink to help transfer warmth efficiently.
Summertime Cooling
In cooling mode, the refrigerant is in the evaporator coil. Air from within the house is distributed over the coil, and the refrigerant sucks out humidity. Water in the air also condenses on the coil, dropping into the condensate pan below and flows away. The resulting cool air circulates through the ductwork and back into your house.
At the same time, the refrigerant passes through a compressor on its way to the outdoor coil. This compresses the refrigerant, causing it to get hotter. As it flows through the condensing coil, the outside fan and metal fins help to exhaust heat to the outdoors. The refrigerant moves back into your house, passing through an expansion valve that lowers its temperature it greatly, preparing it to begin the process from the start.
When your heat pump is put in and maintained appropriately, you’ll enjoy efficient cooling as good as an energy-efficient air conditioner.
Wintertime Heating
When your heat pump is set to heat, the heat exchange procedure happens the other way around. By moving in a different direction, refrigerant removes heat from the outdoor air and adds it into your home to warm the interior.
Heat pumps running in heating mode are most efficient when the temperature is above freezing outside. If it gets too chilly, a backup electric resistance heater starts to keep your home cozy, but your heating costs go up as a result.
Heat pumps are on longer than furnaces because the air doesn’t get as heated. This helps maintain a more stable indoor temperature. Also, because heat pumps shift warmth rather than generating it from a fuel source, they can work well above 100% efficiency. You can anticipate 30–40% savings on your heating bills by installing a heat pump.
Schedule Heat Pump Installation or Service Right Away
Heat pumps are a green choice and cost-effective. They are an alternative to the regular AC/furnace configuration and require the same amount of maintenance—one service in the spring and another in the fall.
If you’d like to install a heat pump, TML Service Experts is the contractor to call. We’ll size and install your equipment to match your heating and cooling requirements. And then we’ll back our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year. For more information, contact us at 208-488-4892 today.