When it comes to efficiency, heat pumps are gaining traction as an option for heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
Hyde-Whipp Heating and Air Conditioning is one of Orangeville’s leading providers of residential and commercial heating and A/C. They have been installing and repairing heating and cooling systems in Orangeville and surrounding areas for almost 40 years.
Who better to explain the benefits and technology of heat pumps than Daryl Hyde-Whipp.
Heat pump technology is similar to that found in a refrigerator or an air conditioner. It extracts heat from a source, such as outside air or geothermal energy stored in the ground. In some cases, it can be gathered from nearby sources of water or waste heat from a factory.
It then amplifies and transfers the heat to where it is needed.
In some regions, you may also be able to install a geothermal heat pump, which transfers energy to and from the earth. These systems are often better suited for colder climates.
During the winter, the heat pump draws in heat from the chilly air outdoors and brings it indoors to warm the house. In the summer, you can reverse the settings from “heat” to “cool.” By making that adjustment, the equipment will reverse its actions and pull heat from indoor air and transfer it outside, leaving the home feeling cooler.
Heat pumps run on electricity and function as both a heating and cooling unit. With it, you won’t have to install a separate air conditioner or furnace.
Unlike furnaces and boilers, heat pumps don’t use fossil fuels to heat. Instead, they transfer heat from one place to another by using a refrigerant to absorb heat.
The indoor portion of a heat pump has an evaporator coil, while the outdoor section contains a condenser coil. Copper lines with refrigerant connect both components.
As air circulates over the evaporator coil, the refrigerant absorbs the air’s heat and transfers it to the condenser coil. A fan inside the condenser unit blows air over the condenser coil to disperse the warmth outdoors into air-conditioning and works in reverse for heating. The refrigerant will continue cycling through both coils and change from liquid to gas until the home reaches the desired temperature on the thermostat.
They also operate at higher energy efficiency ratings than traditional systems, meaning you’ll save money on your energy bills.
Heat isn’t the only problem in the summer. Humidity is also a factor. Heat pumps remove heat and moisture from the indoor air, which keeps a building’s humidity levels from getting too high.
Because most of the heat is transferred rather than generated, heat pumps are far more efficient than conventional heating technologies such as boilers or electric heaters and can be cheaper to run.
Among the advantages heat pumps have over traditional HVAC systems are that they provide both heating and cooling in one system, making them a more versatile and cost-effective option.
Finally, heat pumps are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional heating and cooling systems, as they produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions and there are various rebates and incentives available for installing a heat pump.
In our area, a home can be eligible for a Greener Home rebate up to $7100 if the house passes the necessary energy audit and an appointed advisor recommends a heat pump in a renovation upgrade report.
Once this is complete, a certified installer, such as Hyde-Whipp Heating and Air Conditioning, will come and install the equipment that is on a list of eligible products. The energy auditor will submit the necessary paperwork on the homeowner’s behalf, once the upgrades have been verified.
Furthermore, the auditor can do the required paperwork for the homeowner to apply for an interest-free Greener Homes loan up to $40,000.
All in all, heat pumps are an attractive alternative when it comes to maintaining a comfy house.
Since it is a relatively complex system, a heat pump’s initial installation cost can be more expensive. This is where one should be thinking, since heat pumps have been rated as high as three times more efficient than other technologies, the installation costs should be recouped.
Taking safety issues into account, gas furnaces are susceptible to natural gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning.
With no open flames or fumes, these risks don’t exist with an electric heat pump, making it one of the safest types of HVAC equipment.
As well, heat pumps don’t produce as intensely hot air as furnaces and have longer run cycles. The result is a reduction in the temperature fluctuations found in single-speed furnaces. Since the conditioned air has more time to circulate, there is less chance of the home having those hot and cold spots.
It is important to consult with a professional, like Hyde-Whipp, who will be able to determine the appropriate size of heat pump that best suits the home and what type of system will do the job better.
Another bonus for the ecology-conscious is that heat pumps are very compatible with other alternative energies, such as solar panels.
Yet another reason to consider “pumping up.”
WRITTEN BY: DAN O’REILLY
