The Many Advantages Of Geothermal Heat Pumps

October 11th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
Comments Off on The Many Advantages Of Geothermal Heat Pumps

A geothermal heat pump is one of the most energy efficient residential heating and cooling systems available.  Geothermal heat pumps are similar to air source heat pumps, but they rely on the earth as a source of heat in the winter and to dump heat in the summer.   Since the earth’s temperature remains at a relatively constant temperature between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit just a few feet below ground, a geothermal heat pump is more efficient that an air source heat pump that can lose heating efficiency as temperatures drop below freezing.

Although their primary advantage is their high energy efficiency, there are plenty of other reasons to install a geothermal heat pump.  One reason is their durability.  Unlike air source heat pumps and traditional furnaces that have a service life of around 10 years, a geothermal heat pump should provide energy efficient heating and cooling for more than 20 years.

In addition to heating and cooling your home, many models of geothermal heat pumps also provide energy efficient water heating.  Also, geothermal heat pumps do not have a noisy outdoor compressor/condenser unit like a central air conditioner or air source heat pump.  The outdoor heat exchanger is a series of pipes buried underground.

Geothermal heat pumps are quiet indoors too.  The inside unit makes about the same amount of noise as a refrigerator so it is hardly noticeable.  Due to the way geothermal heat pumps operate, the heating and cooling results in more consistent, even temperatures that increases indoor comfort.

The main reason geothermal heat pumps are not more popular is that the cost of the initial installation is significant.  However, the 30% federal tax credit for Energy Star rated geothermal heat pumps helps reduce the out of pocket expense and the energy costs savings should pay for the unit in less than ten years.

, ,
Read More

Heat Pumps In Colder Climates

September 21st, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
Comments Off on Heat Pumps In Colder Climates

As the weather begins to cool off, many homeowners are taking the opportunity to reduce their energy bills this winter by replacing their existing residential heating systems with a new energy efficient heat pump.  The efficiency of a heat pump stems from the fact that instead of creating heat from electricity or by burning fuel, a heat pump moves heat from outside your home to inside your home.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but a heat pump can extract heat from outdoor air temperatures that are below freezing and use that heat to warm your home.  The biggest concern about heat pumps is that the colder the outdoor air temperature, the harder the heat pump has to work to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your home.  As temperatures drop below freezing, a heat pump can struggle to keep up with the demand for warm air.

Heat pumps can be equipped with supplemental electric heating to provide a heating boos in very cold weather, but these electric heating strips use a lot of electricity.  The heat pump loses its cost saving advantage if the supplemental electric heating strips are called into action too often.  For this reason, heat pumps used for the sole heating source make the most sense in climates where the temperature only occasionally drops below freezing, but heat pumps can still serve an important role in colder climates.

Many homeowners in colder climates combine a heat pump with a traditional furnace.  The heat pump is used for home heating in milder weather and operates as a central air conditioner in the summer months.  When temperatures drop below freezing, the home heating role is handed off to the traditional furnace.  These systems maximize the efficiency of a heat pump without sacrificing cold weather comfort.

, ,
Read More

Understanding Your Heat Pump’s Odd Habits

May 9th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
Comments Off on Understanding Your Heat Pump’s Odd Habits

A heat pump is an excellent, energy efficient heating and cooling system that works great in a wide variety of climates.  Advances in technology have made heat pumps as reliable as a standard forced air heating and cooling system and improved their heating ability in cooler climates.  As energy costs continue to rise, many homeowners are replacing their existing forced air systems with energy efficient heat pumps.

If you are the proud owner of a new heat pump, you are probably already aware of the benefits of energy efficient heating and cooling that a heat pump can provide.  What you may not know is that a heat pump can take a little getting used to.

When running in air conditioning mode, your heat pump will operate almost exactly like your old central air conditioner.  One thing you may notice is that it runs a little longer than your old system did and may run constantly on extremely hot days.  Heat pumps are sized for efficient operation during normal temperature ranges.  Continuous running is to be expected during abnormally high temperatures.

In heating mode, you will likely notice that the air coming out of the vents is not as warm as with a furnace, especially in very cold temperatures.  This is completely normal and not a sign that there is anything wrong with the heat pump.  The heat pump will run longer to maintain comfortable temperatures.

Finally, in cold weather a heat pump periodically cycles into a defrost mode to prevent ice build-up on the coils.  During the defrost cycle, you will hear a “whooshing” noise and the outdoor compressor unit will be running, but you may not feel warm air coming out of the register.

, ,
Read More

Find Local Company | HVAC Directory | Find Local HVAC Companies