How a Heat Pump Cools Your Residence
In Savannah, heat pumps can be a popular choice to heat and cool your house.
They seem about the same as an air conditioner. In reality, they run in the same way during hot weather. Because of a reversing valve, they can transfer humidity in the opposite direction as well as heat your residence 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 you discover you use a heat pump, or you’re considering buying one, find out how this HVAC unit keeps houses cozy.
How Heat Pumps Work
Heat pumps use a refrigeration system like an air conditioner. Most can work similar to a ductless mini-split, as they can heat and cool. Heat pumps rely on an indoor evaporator coil and an outdoor condensing coil. Refrigerant is pumped through these coils to transfer warmth. The outdoor unit also has a compressor and is enclosed by metal fins that function as a heat sink to help move warmth properly.
Summertime Cooling
When your heat pump is set to cooling, the refrigerant begins in the evaporator coil. Air from inside the house is set over the coil, and the refrigerant sucks out humidity. Water in the air also condenses on the coil, dripping into the condensate pan below and flows away. The resulting cold air moves through the ductwork and back into your residence.
Meanwhile, the refrigerant passes through 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 outdoor fan and metal fins help to emit heat to the outdoors. The refrigerant moves back indoors, traveling through an expansion valve that cools it greatly, prepping it to go through the process all over again.
When your heat pump is replaced and maintained properly, you’ll get efficient cooling equivalent to a high-performance air conditioner.
Wintertime Heating
When your heat pump is heating, the heat exchange process occurs the opposite way. By moving in the opposite direction, refrigerant extracts heat from the outdoor air and adds it into your house to warm rooms.
Heat pumps running in heating mode are most useful when the temperature remains above freezing outside. If it gets too chilly, a backup electric resistance heater turns on to keep your residence comfy, but your heating expenses increase as a result.
Heat pumps work longer than furnaces as the air doesn’t become as warm. This helps maintain a more even indoor temperature. On top of that, because heat pumps move heat rather than making it from a fuel source, they can perform well above 100% efficiency. You can anticipate 30–40% savings on your heating bills by getting a heat pump.
Schedule Heat Pump Installation or Service Today
Heat pumps are environmentally friendly and cost-effective. They are a substitute for the regular AC/furnace setup and need the same amount of maintenance—one appointment in the spring and another in the fall.
If you’re interested in installing a heat pump, Coastal Service Experts is the company to contact. We’ll size and install your system to match your heating and cooling requirements. And then we’ll back our installation with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year. To find out more, contact us at 912-208-2399 today.