How a Heat Pump Cools Your Home

In Dayton, heat pumps can be a popular option for heating and cooling your house.

They look about the same as an air conditioner. In fact, they run in the same way during high temperatures. Since they have a reversing valve, they can transfer heat in the opposite direction as well as add warmth to your home in the winter.

Not sure if you use a heat pump or an air conditioner? All you have to do is find the model number on the outdoor unit and check it online. If it turns out you have a heat pump, or you’re considering installing one, find out how this HVAC equipment keeps residences comfortable.

How Heat Pumps Run

Heat pumps rely on a refrigeration system similar to an air conditioner. Most can operate similar to a ductless mini-split, as they can heat and cool. Heat pumps have an indoor evaporator coil and an outdoor condensing coil. Refrigerant is pumped through these coils to shift warmth. The outdoor unit also contains a compressor and is enclosed by metal fins that act as a heat sink to help shift warmth effectively.

Summertime Cooling

When your heat pump is cooling, the refrigerant starts in the evaporator coil. Air from within the house moves over the coil, and the refrigerant removes warmth. Water in the air also condenses on the coil, dropping into the condensate pan below and flows away. The ensuing cool air moves through the ductwork and back into your house.

At the same time, the refrigerant moves a compressor on its way to the outdoor coil. This concentrates the refrigerant, causing it to get hotter. As it moves through the condensing coil, the exterior fan and metal fins help to exhaust heat to the outside. The refrigerant heads back into your house, moving through an expansion valve that lowers its temperature it greatly, prepping it to go through the process all over again.

When your heat pump is installed and maintained correctly, you’ll get efficient cooling similar to an energy-efficient air conditioner.

Wintertime Heating

In heating mode, the heat exchange cycle takes place the opposite way. By flowing in the opposite direction, refrigerant extracts heat from the outdoor air and disperses it into your house to warm the interior.

Heat pumps working in heating mode are most effective when the temperature is above freezing outside. If it gets too frigid, a backup electric resistance heater kicks on to keep your residence comfortable, but your heating bills go up as a result.

Heat pumps operate longer than furnaces as the air doesn’t become as warm. This helps maintain a more even indoor temperature. On top of that, because heat pumps shift hot air rather than making it from a fuel source, they can operate well above 100% efficiency. You can anticipate 30–40% savings on your heating bills by switching to a heat pump.

Book Heat Pump Installation or Service Right Away

Heat pumps are good for the environment and cost-effective. They are an alternative to the standard AC/furnace configuration and should have the same amount of maintenance—one appointment in the spring and another in the fall.

If you’d like to install a heat pump, Stevenson Service Experts is the contractor to call. We’ll size and install your unit to match your heating and cooling requirements. And then we’ll support our installation with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year. For more information, contact us at 937-503-7896 now.

Contact Us