7 Reasons to Replace Your Wall Heater with a Traditional or Ductless Heat Pump System
These days, many homeowners are opting to replace their outdated wall heaters with more advanced, energy-saving heat pump systems. Depending upon the design of your home, as well as personal preference, there are several variations of the heat pump you can choose from. Traditional heat pump systems work in much the same way that other heaters work: they circulate warm air through your home’s system of ducts. Ductless heat pump systems are also available if your home doesn’t have a ventilation system already in place.
Is it worth it to make the switch to a traditional or ductless heat pump system? We think so, for the seven reasons listed below.
1. Greatly Improved Energy Efficiency
Your wall heater generates heat energy by utilizing electricity to warm the air. This method is effective but gets expensive, as it takes a great deal of power to get the job done. A heat pump works a bit differently. With the help of a system of refrigerant coils, it absorbs heat from outside of the home. It then transfers that heat energy inside to warm the house.
By making use of ambient heat energy, instead of generating it from scratch, your heat pump will be a great deal more energy-efficient than a wall heater. In fact, according to the government’s energy.gov website, heat pumps can be up to 50 percent more efficient than other methods of heating the home.
2. You’ll Save Money on Your Heating Bill
There are several tangible benefits to the improved energy efficiency of a traditional or ductless heat pump. Not the least of which is the dramatic reduction in your energy bill. Actually, these cost savings will probably apply no matter what method you use to heat your home. Natural gas, propane, or oil-burning furnaces all require a combustible fuel source, which costs money. A heat pump simply requires a little electricity to power the motor that circulates the heated air. No expensive fuel source required.
3. There Are Environmental Benefits Too
These days, of course, homeowners need to be environmentally conscious, and a heat pump is a great way to do that. Because it doesn’t utilize a great deal of electricity or burn a fuel source that creates carbon dioxide, a heat pump is one of the greenest options you can choose. Opting for a more environmentally friendly heating system can also have financial benefits: in many cases, there are tax credits available for those who choose more energy-efficient methods for heating their homes.
4. Heat Pumps Are Extremely Versatile
Many other methods of heating your home do their best work only under certain circumstances. A furnace that works well in a large home will not necessarily function effectively in a smaller home and vice versa. Heat pumps, on the other hand, are an incredibly versatile method of heating the home. They can work effectively in homes of pretty much any size. You’ll simply have to have a connection to your heat pump in every room of your home that you wish to heat. For a ductless heat pump, you simply need a unit for each room that needs to be heated.
This versatility will also help you in your quest to save money on your heating bill. This is because, with a heat pump, you can opt to only heat certain rooms, instead of all of them. While a wall heater or other heating system will use energy pumping warm air into rooms that no one ever goes into, a heat pump can be set to only heat the rooms that are in use at that moment. This will help to save a great deal of money in the long run.
Perhaps the greatest show of their versatility is the fact that with a heat pump, you won’t need a traditional air conditioning unit. The heat pump can not only warm the home during winter, but it can also move hot air outside to keep it cool during the hot summer days.
5. Heat Pumps Last Longer
The longevity of a heat pump is often greater than other heating methods. There are several reasons for this. First, the improved energy efficiency means the system doesn’t need to cycle on and off nearly as often. Less energy usage means less wear and tear on the various mechanical parts of the heat pump. The fact that they utilize advanced technology also gives heat pumps a leg up over older methods of heating the home.
As with any heating system, your heat pump must still be maintained regularly. Make sure you retain the services of a professional technician who can perform repairs as necessary to ensure your traditional or ductless heat pump lasts for many years.
6. Say Hello to Cleaner Air
Ductless heat pump systems are a great option for people who suffer from allergies and other sensitivities. Wall heaters pump air through a system of ducts, which over time build up dust, dirt, and allergens. If these ducts aren’t regularly cleaned, that dust and dirt will end up back inside your home, potentially causing allergy attacks or exacerbating other respiratory conditions. As their name suggests, ductless heat pumps send the warm air directly into each room of the house. By bypassing the need for a duct system entirely, you avoid potential pollutants being reintroduced into your home.
7. Traditional and Ductless Heat Pumps Are Easy to Install
If you need to have a furnace installed in your home, it can be a massive undertaking. Even a wall heater can be a big project to install because it will have to be connected to your duct system. However, a traditional heat pump or a ductless heat pump system doesn’t require this massive installation process. It’s a very noninvasive installation, simply requiring a few parts to be put into place.
Note, however, that for the installation to remain easy, you will need the help of an experienced professional. Look for a company like Entek HVAC, whose trained installers work with traditional and ductless heat pumps on a regular basis.
