How a Heat Pump Cools Your House
In Fort Lauderdale, heat pumps can be a popular option for heating and cooling your residence.
They appear about the same as an air conditioner. In reality, they run in the same way during hot weather. Because of a reversing valve, they can move warmth in the opposite direction as well as heat your home when temperatures drop.
Not sure if you have a heat pump or an air conditioner? Simply find the model number on the outdoor unit and check it online. If you discover you have a heat pump, or you’re thinking over purchasing one, discover how this HVAC equipment keeps homes comfortable.
How Heat Pumps Work
Heat pumps use a refrigeration system similar to an air conditioner. Most can operate akin to a ductless mini-split, since they can heat and cool. Heat pumps use an indoor evaporator coil and an outdoor condensing coil. Refrigerant is pumped through these coils to transfer humidity. The outdoor unit also has a compressor and is surrounded by metal fins that act as a heat sink to help transfer warmth efficiently.
Summertime Cooling
When your heat pump is cooling, the refrigerant is in the evaporator coil. Air from inside the house is distributed over the coil, and the refrigerant sucks out humidity. Wetness in the air also condenses on the coil, dripping into the condensate pan below and flows away. The ensuing cool air circulates through the ductwork and back into your residence.
At the same time, the refrigerant passes through a compressor on its way to the outdoor coil. This concentrates the refrigerant, leading it to warm up. As it flows through the condensing coil, the outside fan and metal fins help to discharge heat to the outdoors. The refrigerant heads back into your house, traveling through an expansion valve that lowers its temperature it greatly, readying it to go through the process from the beginning.
When your heat pump is replaced and maintained properly, you’ll have efficient cooling comparable to an energy-efficient air conditioner.
Wintertime Heating
When your heat pump is heating, the heat exchange process happens the other way around. By flowing in a different direction, refrigerant pulls heat from the outdoor air and adds it into your residence to warm the interior.
Heat pumps operating in heating mode are most effective when the temperature is warmer than freezing outside. If it turns too chilly, a backup electric resistance heater turns on to keep your house comfy, but your heating expenses go up as a result.
Heat pumps operate longer than furnaces as the air doesn’t get as warm. This helps maintain a more balanced indoor temperature. On top of that, because heat pumps shift heat rather than creating it from a fuel source, they can perform well above 100% efficiency. You can anticipate 30–40% savings on your heating expenses by using a heat pump.
Schedule Heat Pump Installation or Service Today
Heat pumps are good for the environment and economical. They replace the traditional AC/furnace configuration and need the same amount of maintenance—one appointment in the spring and another in the fall.
If you’d like to install a heat pump, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is the company to call. We’ll size and install your unit to meet your heating and cooling needs. And then we’ll back our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year. For more information, contact us at 954-736-4314 today.