Heat Pumps Explained
Climate-controlling technology has been around for about 100 years. While the technology has undergone rapid changes and updates, there are still some things that remain unchanged. For example, most US heating is still done by burning fossil fuels despite high prices and environmental concerns.
The biggest stride in heating and cooling technology has been the advent of heat pumps that can heat and cool using the same processes and equipment instead of relying on separate heating and cooling systems.
But, since fossil fuels are still widespread, most people don’t know about heat pumps and their advantages.
What Are Heat Pumps?
Heat pumps apply air conditioning principles to heat and cool a space. In an air conditioner, refrigerant evaporates, pulling heat energy from the surrounding space. It carries away this heat energy and is compressed and cooled to repeat the cycle. This can be easily observed by feeling the cold evaporator coil in an air conditioner and feeling the heat coming out of the condenser unit outside. This process only works one way for a traditional AC, and a furnace does the heating.
In a heat pump, the cycle described is ingeniously reversed. Instead of using fossil fuels for heat, refrigerant grabs heat energy from outside the home, which is pumped into the heating coil. Cool air in the home picks up this heat and distributes it around the home while the refrigerant is recycled.
By relying on this cycle, heat pumps forgo the need for fossil fuels or electrical resistance coils and use only cheap electricity to heat and cool the home.
Advantages of Heat Pumps in the Home
Most people are reluctant to try new technologies, especially when the comfort of their home depends on it, and deciding to try something new carries high financial costs. In the past, heat pumps were less efficient and needed an external heat source like a ground coil to heat and cool spaces effectively. With the new strides in heat pump technology, air source heat pumps have become much more efficient, doing away with the need for expensive drilling for ground loops.
Air-source heat pumps are now competitive with traditional furnaces for heating and cooling homes. They are installed in the same place as a conventional central AC system and use the same ducts. Since they use only small amounts of electricity, monthly bills are lower and more predictable throughout the seasons.
Signs to Call for Heat Pump Repair
When the average person walks into a home, they won’t be able to tell if a home is heated or cooled with a heat pump. The technology ends up being very similar in operation to central AC systems. With this in mind, the signs that a heat pump is failing tend to be very similar to the signs that a central AC is failing. Watch out for things like:
- Cool air coming from the vents in the winter
- High energy bills
- New, unusual noises
- Poor indoor air comfort
- Non-responsive thermostat or system
- Long or short cycles
About Atlas Home Service
Atlas Home Service is a family-owned business that strives to provide excellent customer service. Its exceptional teams can help find heating and cooling solutions for any property and provide repairs and maintenance to keep it running. Call today for heat pump services in Alexandria, LA.
