Everything You Should Know About Heat Pumps
Deciding If An Air-Source Heat Pump Is Right For Your Home
Jessica Jimenez
Heating and cooling a home are two of the biggest costs that a homeowner has to contend with. The price of purchasing a furnace and an AC unit is only a small part of the cost of HVAC equipment. The biggest cost comes in paying for the monthly bills for operating equipment. It is important to look for ways to keep installation and operating costs down. For some people, the right way to go about this is to purchase an air-source heat pump.
What Is a Heat Pump?
A heat pump is similar in design to an AC unit in that both pieces of machinery have two sets of coils. An AC pump will have a set of evaporator coils located in the inside of your house and a set of condenser coils located outside of your home. The evaporator coils absorb heat from the inside of your home and the condenser coils expel it into the air outside your home. A heat pump differs in that the function of the coils can be reversed so that the coils outside your home extract heat from the outside air and the inside coils expel the heat in your home to warm things up.
Initial Costs
The cost of purchasing a brand new air conditioner will run between $3,000 and $10,000 depending on the size of the unit you need for your home and how efficient the model is that you buy. A new furnace will cost between $2,500 and $14,000 again depending on size and efficiency. A heat pump will cost around $6,000, which typically is more than a single furnace or AC unit would cost but less than buying both pieces of equipment at the same time. Thus, you can save yourself money on installation costs simply by buying one piece of equipment to both heat and cool your home.
Is a Heat Pump Right for Your Home?
Heat pumps are at their most efficient when outside temperatures are moderate. While a heat pump will perform comparably to an AC unit of similar efficiency during the summer, heat pumps will get less efficient the lower your winter time temperatures drop. Thus, while heat pumps are common in the South as a means of providing year round comfort, you may want a furnace in your home to stave off the coldest winter nights if you live in the North.
Even though a heat pump might not be right for every type of home on the market, they are still worth considering. If you want to know if a heat pump is right for you, you need to consult with an HVAC company, like http://www.coeheatcool.com.
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Hello. My name is Josiah. I am a 44-year-old married dad of three. I work in the automotive industry and love what I do. Recently, my heating and cooling unit stopped working. I did a lot of research on what type of heating element I should install in my home. I wanted something energy efficient, yet reliable and lasting. After a lot of research, I settled on a heat pump. A heat pump is a great heating and cooling element that many people don't yet know about. I created this blog to help educate other people on heat pumps and answer questions related to it. If you need a new heating or cooling device for your home, I hope my website helps explain to you what a heat pump is and how it can be beneficial.