Heat pumps can have a drastic effect - a good one - on your bottom line.
The long and short of it is that for every British Thermal Unit (a BTU is the amount of heat it takes to raise one pound of water one degree) you get the equivalent of 3 BTUs of heat output.
That's a substantial net profit, especially for your heating cycle.
Heat pumps literally move heat.
Until the temperature reaches "absolute zero," (-460° F) there is heat.
Heat pumps bring warmth from outside air during the winter and uses your home or building's ventilation system to circulate it throughout the structure.
Then, when it's hot outside, the heat pump uses a reversing valve which runs coolant the other way and pulls warm air from inside the home and pushes it outside.
It changes the operation of the two coils so that the condenser and evaporators essentially change places.
Coils are where refrigeration absorbs and rejects heat.
When used to cool air inside, it also pulls out the humidity, leaving the environment cool and dry.
1 Heat pumps don't burn fuel and are much cleaner than ordinary gas powered furnaces.
They're safer, too.
2 Heat pumps are known for less drastic, sudden blasts of hot air like you get with traditional furnaces when they kick on.
The overall temperature is more consistent.
3 Electric furnaces are less efficient and cost more to operate than heat pumps.
4 Heat pumps are used year round.
That means one unit does double duty for heating and cooling which costs less per hour of use.
To figure that out, calculate the purchase cost and installation, then divide that by the total number of hours used over the course of a year's operation.
To make the most of a heat pump setup, take time to familiarize yourself with the operations and maintenance manuals for your equipment.
As wonderful as heat pumps are, there are a couple of important points to take into consideration when making equipment and maintenance choices.
1 Heat pumps are very, very sensitive to air flow.
As important as you think air filters are for regular heating and air conditioning systems, double it for heat pumps.
Don't skimp on quality here.
The life of your unit and its efficiency depend on clean air.
It is critical to keep those filters changed regularly.
While you're at it, remember to change all the filters at the same time.
Put it on your calendar.
Don't cheat.
2 Always have the system professionally serviced to keep it operating as efficiently as possible.
That means two service checks every year - once for the cooling cycle and once for the heating cycle.
With a little care and forethought, your heat pump will give many years of high quality service.
The long and short of it is that for every British Thermal Unit (a BTU is the amount of heat it takes to raise one pound of water one degree) you get the equivalent of 3 BTUs of heat output.
That's a substantial net profit, especially for your heating cycle.
Heat pumps literally move heat.
Until the temperature reaches "absolute zero," (-460° F) there is heat.
Heat pumps bring warmth from outside air during the winter and uses your home or building's ventilation system to circulate it throughout the structure.
Then, when it's hot outside, the heat pump uses a reversing valve which runs coolant the other way and pulls warm air from inside the home and pushes it outside.
It changes the operation of the two coils so that the condenser and evaporators essentially change places.
Coils are where refrigeration absorbs and rejects heat.
When used to cool air inside, it also pulls out the humidity, leaving the environment cool and dry.
1 Heat pumps don't burn fuel and are much cleaner than ordinary gas powered furnaces.
They're safer, too.
2 Heat pumps are known for less drastic, sudden blasts of hot air like you get with traditional furnaces when they kick on.
The overall temperature is more consistent.
3 Electric furnaces are less efficient and cost more to operate than heat pumps.
4 Heat pumps are used year round.
That means one unit does double duty for heating and cooling which costs less per hour of use.
To figure that out, calculate the purchase cost and installation, then divide that by the total number of hours used over the course of a year's operation.
To make the most of a heat pump setup, take time to familiarize yourself with the operations and maintenance manuals for your equipment.
As wonderful as heat pumps are, there are a couple of important points to take into consideration when making equipment and maintenance choices.
1 Heat pumps are very, very sensitive to air flow.
As important as you think air filters are for regular heating and air conditioning systems, double it for heat pumps.
Don't skimp on quality here.
The life of your unit and its efficiency depend on clean air.
It is critical to keep those filters changed regularly.
While you're at it, remember to change all the filters at the same time.
Put it on your calendar.
Don't cheat.
2 Always have the system professionally serviced to keep it operating as efficiently as possible.
That means two service checks every year - once for the cooling cycle and once for the heating cycle.
With a little care and forethought, your heat pump will give many years of high quality service.
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