Skip to Content
Delivering Comfort One Service at a Time
Top

Is a Heat Pump the Heater for Me?

Delivering Quality Comfort to the Homes and Businesses of Hartford County and New Haven County
|


efficient-homeThat depends. Are you interested in improved energy efficiency? How about convenience? If so, then sure, a heat pump may be for you. There are a lot of factors to consider, of course, and the fact is that not every heater is right for every homeowner. After all, if that were the case then we would only need one type of heating system! So how do you know if the heat pump is the right option for your home? You turn to the experts for guidance.

In today's post, we are going to help you better understand the benefits of using a heat pump to heat your home. We'll also talk about some of the concerns surrounding heat pumps. Ultimately, the type of HVAC system you use in your home is entirely up to you. Should you require any additional information in order to make an informed decision that you are comfortable with, be sure to dial our number for further assistance.

How the Heat Pump Works

First things first. A heat pump is an all-electric forced air heating system. Now, if you're thinking that you don't want to use an all-electric heating system because of the cost associated with doing so, you need to dive deeper into the heat pump. A heat pump is not the same thing as an electric furnace. While electric furnaces are very efficient, thanks to the fact that they don't lose heat to flue gases, the relatively high cost of electricity can still make them costly to run. Not only is a heat pump very efficient, but it also provides one of the most affordable heating performances out there.

So how is this possible? Because the heat pump does not actually generate heat. While an electric furnace using electric resistance heating to generate heat, the heat pump uses electricity only to facilitate the heat transfer process. Basically, a heat pump is not just a heating system. It is a heating and cooling system, very similar to a central air conditioner, with the ability to reverse the flow of its refrigerant.

In the summer, your heat pump will evaporate refrigerant indoors in order to remove heat from the air in your home. In the winter, it reverses that operation, drawing heat out of the air outside and releasing it inside in order to warm the house. When refrigerant evaporates outdoors to harness ambient heat, it is compressed before entering the house. That boosts its thermal energy, allowing for not only efficient, but effective heating.

Why This Matters

The reversing valve in the heat pump really is a wonder. By utilizing this technology, you eliminate the need for a standalone heating system. Of course, it does get very cold here in the winter, and some homeowners are concerned about the ability of a heat pump in Farmington, CT to manage the extreme cold.

While modern heat pumps are more effective than ever in managing such temperatures, they can lose a lot of efficiency when they are forced to generate heat in an emergency or auxiliary mode. If you really want to balance reliability with energy efficiency, a hybrid heating system is worth looking into. You get an AC and a very efficient heater with the heat pump, but also the dependability of a gas furnace for those times when that is the more efficient option. The system will automatically shift back and forth between the two as needed.

Live more comfortably, choose Dynamic Mechanical.

Share To: