If you’re in the market for a new heating system this winter, you may be tempted to go with something standard like a furnace. While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, it’s a good idea to take a look at the wider heating market. You never know whether another heating system type might be a better fit for your needs. Let’s take a look at heat pumps, how they operate, and how they can benefit you this winter.
Heat Pumps
A heat pump has more in common with an air conditioner than with a traditional heater, at least at first. There are two units that make up the system, on installed inside and one installed outside. These two units are connected by power and refrigerant lines. When in heating mode, the outside unit evaporates refrigerant to absorb thermal energy from the surrounding air. Then, it sends the refrigerant gas inside to be condensed. This releases the thermal energy into the home to heat it. Heat pumps contain a part called the reversing valve which allows them to change the flow of refrigerant through their systems. By doing this, they can act as either heating or air conditioning systems.
Advantages of Heat Pumps
The ability to switch between heating and air conditioning is a huge advantage in and of itself, and is the main reason that people choose heat pumps over other systems. Saving money and space that would otherwise go to a completely separate system is a great feeling. Since a heat pump doesn’t burn fuel to generate heat, it’s also quite a bit more energy efficient than traditional heating systems.
If you’d like to know more about the advantages of heat pumps, or would like to install one, call Climate Masters. We offer heat pump installation services throughout St. Augustine, FL.
