{"id":1379,"date":"2017-01-23T11:00:45","date_gmt":"2017-01-23T16:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/acdesigns1.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=1379"},"modified":"2017-01-23T11:00:45","modified_gmt":"2017-01-23T16:00:45","slug":"could-a-heat-pump-be-the-perfect-comfort-system-for-your-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acdesignsinc.net\/blog\/heat-pump-service\/could-a-heat-pump-be-the-perfect-comfort-system-for-your-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Could a Heat Pump Be the Perfect Comfort System for Your Home?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"comfortable-family\"A lot of people rely on window AC units and portable heaters for home comfort throughout the year. But this simply is not the best option if you\u2019re looking for long-term efficiency. Most likely, you don\u2019t feel as comfortable as you would like. And you\u2019re spending more than you have to just to cool or heat small portions of your house at a time.<\/p>\n

When we hear about homeowner\u2019s year-round home comfort woes, we often recommend a heat pump. Heat pumps are not just for heating. They are actually some of the most efficient air conditioning systems around, that just so happen to be extremely efficient for heat in our climate as well.<\/p>\n

So What\u2019s a Heat Pump?<\/h2>\n

A heat pump is a heating and cooling system in one. It looks just like a central AC\u2014and that\u2019s because it is. The difference is that it has some extra components that allow refrigerant\u2014the chemical blend that helps in the heat exchange process for cooling\u2014to move in the opposite direction as well.<\/p>\n

So, in most respects, a heat pump is just like any other air conditioner. Refrigerant is able to absorb heat from the air in your home as it moves over an indoor evaporator coil, cooling it down. Refrigerant continuously cycles throughout the HVAC system, releasing heat into the air around the outside unit as it condenses. That\u2019s why the outside unit feels warm when you stand near it.<\/p>\n

A heat pump\u2019s reversing valve allows it to switch directions in heating mode (for those brief periods we need heating in Jacksonville<\/a>). Now, the refrigerant is able to absorb heat form the air outside and move that heat indoors instead.<\/p>\n

What Makes It So Efficient<\/h2>\n

A heat pump is a heating and air conditioning system in one. High-efficiency models are more efficient than a standard central air conditioner<\/a> because the technologies used in manufacturing are so advanced.<\/p>\n

And for those nights you want to turn the heater on, your bills are much lower than with other types of electric heating systems. That\u2019s because generating<\/em> heat (via electric resistance) uses up a whole lot of energy. But moving <\/em>heat from one place to another is a much more efficient process. The amount of energy used for this process is significantly less, and you can expect to see much lower energy bills if you are replacing an electric furnace or similar unit. According to the US Department of Energy<\/a>, a heat pump uses about 50% of the electricity of these other systems!<\/p>\n

Other Reasons to Choose a Heat Pump<\/h2>\n

There are many more reasons to choose a heat pump over another type of air conditioning and heating system, especially if you live in a climate like ours where it rarely gets very chilly.<\/p>\n