If you live in an area of extreme weather or, more specifically, extreme temperature conditions, then it is likely that you will not be familiar with heat pumps. A heat pump is a device which can either warm or cool an area by transporting air from one area to another. Although you may not be aware of the name, the concept is the same as the system used in most refrigeration units and air conditioners, although these systems only work one way, whereas heat pumps can be reversed using a valve system.
In cooling mode, heat pumps work by taking warm air from an area and extracting it through an evaporator and then sending it to an outside condenser. Inside the unit is a fluid called a refrigerant which soaks up the heat so it can be transported elsewhere. In heating mode, this process is reversed and the outside unit becomes the evaporator, sucking in warm air and sending it to the (now indoor) condenser.
The main benefit of a heat pump is that it works as a heating system and a cooling system, which obviously makes it more useful than individual heaters or air conditioners. As such, to make best use of this system it is best installed in homes situated in areas of temperate climate. There may be a higher financial outlay when installing heat pumps when compared to individual heating or cooling systems, but there are more benefits than just the multiple usage.
Heat pumps are one of the most efficient ways of heating and cooling your home, though it is worthy to note that they work slightly better in terms of 'coefficient of performance' (COP) in areas of warmer climates. Although their COP drops in cooler climates, they are still more efficient than using an equivalent electric resistance style heater. Better COP means less electricity used and, obviously, cheaper power bills for you.
Another benefit associated to installing a heat pump when compared with a furnace or electric resistance style heater is that you will not experience a lack of humidity in the air, so therefore there is no need for an air humidifier. Plus, with the condenser situated outside your home, heat pumps run with very low operating volumes. It is expected that the initial installation cost of fitting a heat pump will almost certainly exceed that of an air conditioning unit or heater, but with the savings that can be made on your annual electricity bills, within a certain number of years it will pay for itself.
In cooling mode, heat pumps work by taking warm air from an area and extracting it through an evaporator and then sending it to an outside condenser. Inside the unit is a fluid called a refrigerant which soaks up the heat so it can be transported elsewhere. In heating mode, this process is reversed and the outside unit becomes the evaporator, sucking in warm air and sending it to the (now indoor) condenser.
The main benefit of a heat pump is that it works as a heating system and a cooling system, which obviously makes it more useful than individual heaters or air conditioners. As such, to make best use of this system it is best installed in homes situated in areas of temperate climate. There may be a higher financial outlay when installing heat pumps when compared to individual heating or cooling systems, but there are more benefits than just the multiple usage.
Heat pumps are one of the most efficient ways of heating and cooling your home, though it is worthy to note that they work slightly better in terms of 'coefficient of performance' (COP) in areas of warmer climates. Although their COP drops in cooler climates, they are still more efficient than using an equivalent electric resistance style heater. Better COP means less electricity used and, obviously, cheaper power bills for you.
Another benefit associated to installing a heat pump when compared with a furnace or electric resistance style heater is that you will not experience a lack of humidity in the air, so therefore there is no need for an air humidifier. Plus, with the condenser situated outside your home, heat pumps run with very low operating volumes. It is expected that the initial installation cost of fitting a heat pump will almost certainly exceed that of an air conditioning unit or heater, but with the savings that can be made on your annual electricity bills, within a certain number of years it will pay for itself.