What Is a Heat Pump Air Conditioner?
Escaping the heat in the summer isn’t always an easy task, which is why your home should be an oasis from hot and humid weather. To transform a home into an escape from the heat, many people choose to invest in a cooling unit. There are a variety of heating and cooling units that can get the job done, and the one you choose depends on how you want your home to be cooled and whether that’s all you need the unit for. After starting the search and seeking the help of professionals, such as those at Entek, you’ll probably run into units that you’re unfamiliar with, such as a heat pump air conditioner.
It’s normal to wonder what a heat pump air conditioner is after being introduced to it. The name can be confusing and suggest it isn’t capable of doing what you need it to—cooling rather than heating. Luckily, the exact opposite is true. Not only can a heat pump cool your home, but it can also provide your home with other essential functions when summer is over. If you’re still wondering what exactly a heat pump air conditioner is, here are a few interesting facts about them and how they operate.
What Is a Heat Pump Air Conditioner?
A heat pump is a heating and cooling unit that works to heat your home in the winter and cool your home in the summer. The benefit of this unit is that it does both tasks without needing separate units for each task. Many people find that combining their needs into one unit is beneficial and more cost-efficient.
Heat pumps are installed outside of your home and need to be installed by professionals to ensure they run correctly. They’re conveniently powered by electricity, making them an accessible option for most homes, and with the right maintenance and upkeep, they can last you for many years to come.
How Does It Work?
A heat pump air conditioner runs similarly to how a standard air conditioner works. Though it’s easy to believe that air conditioners cool your home by creating cool air and distributing it around your house, the way it actually works is a little more interesting. Both heat pumps and standard air conditioners cool your home by transferring the warm air that collects in your home and redistributing it outside. Heat pumps pump the hot air from your home, which is what gives them the name.
So there is no magic cooling trick responsible for keeping the temperature down for either unit, though they do use refrigerant. Both are just very good at redistributing the heat to cool you down. While both can do a good job at cooling your home, a heat pump has another function that you may find useful in the winter.
Heat Pumps Can Also Heat Your Home
That’s right. Unlike many air conditioners, heat pump air conditioners can both cool and heat your home sufficiently. Just like the heat pump transfers hot air out of your home in the summer, it can transfer warm air from outside into your home in the winter. Unless you live in a place that experiences extremely cold temperatures, this option can be an effective way to heat your home.
Even in a typical cold winter environment, there is hot air roaming around. Heat pumps do an excellent job at finding that hot air from the outdoors and transferring it into your home. This is the reason that many people choose heat pump air conditioners over standard air conditioners. They provide you with two essential services instead of just one.
They Can Be More Cost-Efficient
Another reason people choose to have a heat pump installed is that it can be a more cost-efficient option when you need to both heat and cool your home. Because standard air conditioners are only good for cooling your home, having one means that you’ll also have to invest in a separate unit to heat your home. The cost of buying two separate units that can do each individual task is often more expensive than investing in one unit that can take on both tasks.
Though the initial installation cost of a heat pump is more expensive than just having a standard air conditioner installed, most people find that the costs even out over the years. For more specific pricing options, you should speak to your local HVAC technician. Professionals like the staff at Entek can help you find the unit that will work best for your specific needs while keeping in mind how to make it the most cost- and energy-efficient option for you. If you don’t already have an energy-efficient way to heat your home, a heat pump air conditioner could be a good way to kill two birds with one stone.
What Is the Best Climate for Heat Pump Air Conditioners?
A heat pump can be a great option to heat and cool your home, depending on where you live. Places that experience mild temperatures year-round, like in the Pacific Northwest, will find that they can get a lot out of their heat pump, especially in the winters. The cooling work of these units can be accomplished in most places, but the heating function can become tricky if you live in a place that experiences below-freezing temperatures on a regular basis. This makes it more difficult for the unit to source heat sufficiently from outdoors, making it work harder and potentially cost more to provide your home with enough heat. On the other hand, places with mild winters make it easy for heat pumps to find heat outdoors and transfer it into your home.
If a heat pump air conditioner sounds like a good option for your home, the professionals at Entek can help you find the perfect unit to fit your needs. Entek is also able to keep up with any services or maintenance issues that your unit runs into over the years. With this option and help from knowledgeable staff, your home can keep up with any weather that comes its way.
