Late summer is usually the time when older air conditioners start to buckle under the strain of months of daily use. It’s also the time when homeowners here in Seaford, DE look ahead to the winter and determine if they need to improve their heating system. If you’re in either of these camps, we’d suggest taking a good look at a heat pump system for your home. It’s a unique way to provide excellent heating and cooling in one unit, and depending upon the nature of your home may be just what you’re looking for. Here’s how they work.
An Air Conditioner With More
A heat pump doesn’t differ in theory from an air conditioner, which actually produced hot air as well as cool air. Refrigerant circulates through an endless loop that first bleeds heat off of it (releasing it in the outdoor portion of the unit), then pulls heat from the air inside before blowing it into your home with a fan. A heat pump does the exact same thing with one small twist. A switch lets you reverse the flow of refrigerant through the system, allowing you to release the hot air inside and cool the air outside. Suddenly, you have both heating and air conditioning in one single unit.
How Does That Benefit Me?
Heat pumps make terrific air conditioners, but their big benefit is in the winter. Since they rely on the refrigerant to generate heat instead of a fuel source like gas or electricity, they cost much less to operate than heaters that use fuel like gas or electricity. Heat pumps used to be less practical in colder parts of the country like ours, but recent advances have thrown the doors open wide. Depending upon your home’s needs, they can provide an excellent solution to heating and cooling issues alike.
Call Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning for more on heat pumps.