Winters can be brutal. Between ice, snow, and freezing temperatures, it's a trying time for any homeowner. If you need a new AC, you may want to consider an air conditioner heat pump system, which can also replace your furnace. But, what is an AC heat pump HVAC system? How does it differ from traditional air conditioning and heating systems? Knowing the differences could make all the change in keeping your home warm and cozy throughout these long cold months:
An AC Heat Pump Will Provide Year-Round Comfort
Heating and cooling your home throughout the winter and summer months can be a major challenge, especially if you live where severe weather is common. That's where AC heat pumps can help regulate the temperature of your home. An AC is used for cooling, while a heat pump is used for both heating and cooling when needed. AC heat pumps will provide year-round comfort with fewer energy costs when compared to using separate systems for cooling and heating. Replacing your AC with a heat pump is a good decision because it can also replace an outdated furnace before winter arrives.
Advantages of Air Conditioning Heat Pumps
These systems that provide both heating and cooling are sometimes referred to as dual-fuel systems. The dual-fuel system can provide an auxiliary heat source when the heat pump cannot provide enough to keep your home warm. This provides a more efficient solution for the cooling and heating needs of the space that still needs central HVAC.
Heat pumps are just that—a pump. They move heat around, but they're not actually generating heat. On the other hand, an air conditioner is a machine that generates heat through a chemical process. The conventional air conditioner design uses a lot more energy to generate cold air.
Heat pumps move heat, but not cold, so they're ideal for homes that already have central air conditioning. If your air conditioning unit is outdated, it's probably time to consider replacing it with a new heat pump.
How Heat Pump Air Conditioning Works
In central air conditioning, heat is pulled from your home, and then air is forced through ducts and blown through vents into a home's living spaces. Heat pumps operate differently. They move heat outside instead of inside. The main heat-exchange element of a heat pump is a coil of copper tubing that circulates refrigerant. Inside the coil is a set of copper tubes. As the refrigerant flows through the coils, it absorbs heat, causing it to boil. The hot gas absorbs heat from the outside air or refrigerant, cooling it.
The refrigerant flows to the compressor, where it is compressed, causing it to become hot, and releases the heat. The hot refrigerant then flows through a condenser coil, which releases the heat. The cooled refrigerant flows back through the coil to the pump, which repeats the cycle.
Air conditioning heat pumps can keep you cool in the summer and warm during the winter. Call an air conditioning service to discuss the options to add an AC heat pump to your home.