The Heat Pump - An Air Conditioner in Reverse
A Heat Pump is an air conditioner in reverse. The basic function of an Air Conditioner is to extract heat from the building as it is absorbed into refrigerant inside the indoor condensing coil located with your Air Handler in your basement, closet or attic. The refrigerant then carries the heat to an outdoor unit through refrigeration lines where it is transferred outside. That is the reason you feel hot air blowing out of your outdoor condenser. This leaves the air in the building cooler.
When the season changes and heat is needed in the home, a heat pump is, in effect, an air conditioner that operates in reverse and instead of pulling heat from your home, will actually use the heat that is above freezing (32f) in the outside air and will transfer that heat into your home. Surprisingly, there is a decent amount of heat to be extracted until the outdoor air gets to approximately 30 to 35 degrees F. At that point, a backup heating element is needed to continue to heat the home as needed.
A Heat Pump is an excellent solution for climates that don’t often get below freezing. If your home is located in a region of the country that the majority of daily low temperatures is above 32 degrees f., and or your area has unusually high natural or L.P. gas rates, the Heat Pump can be the perfect replacement system for your home.
To read more about Heat Pumps or to get a free installation guide that shows how to install a Heat Pump, Click Here
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