One of the most innovative HVAC developments is a heat pump.
- The main advantage is the combination of heating and cooling into a single piece of equipment.
This two-in-one style of system works by moving existing heat between the indoors and outdoors. The process avoids the combustion of fossil fuels, eliminating concerns over fumes, hot surfaces and carbon monoxide. Because it creates no greenhouse gasses and requires very little energy to operate, a heat pump is especially environmentally friendly. Even when the outdoor air is cold, there is ambient heat available. The heat pump makes use of this ambient heat. It compresses the heat to a higher temperature and transfers it indoors by way of refrigerant. In the summer, the heat pump literally reverses the flow of refrigerant. It operates much like a conventional air conditioner and creates a cooling effect. Heat pumps are very effective at handling excess humidity in the warmer months yet won’t cause issues with insufficient humidity in heat mode. Modern heat pumps are wonderfully quiet, clean and energy efficient. The higher end models include adaptable speed technology. This feature allows the heat pump to automatically adjust output to match the needs of the home. By operating longer at lower speeds, the system uses less energy, maintains more even temperature and there’s less wear and tear on components. There are several different types of heat pumps. The common is an air-source heat pump that pulls heat out of the outdoor air. However there are ground-source, water-source and ductless heat pumps as well. While these systems are typically more expensive to install than a more conventional option, they save enough on utility costs to recover the investment.
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