Installing Heat Pumps? Factors to Consider
A heat pump is a highly efficient piece of HVAC equipment that can keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter at an economical price. Here’s a brief guide to heat pumps that can help you decide if a heat pump will work best for your indoor comfort.
Sizing Heat Pumps
Heat pumps, like other types of HVAC equipment, must be properly sized—powerful enough and with sufficient functional capacity to move enough heat to meet your needs. Your HVAC contractor should perform a load calculation on your home to help with proper heat pump sizing. This calculation accounts for the physical and thermal characteristics of your home and reveals exactly how much cooling and heating is needed. With this information in hand, it is easy to choose the right heat pump.
Heat Pump Advantages
- High efficiency: Heat pumps are extremely efficient sources of heating and cooling. For example, they often produce three or four units of heating for each unit of electricity used. This makes a heat pump much more efficient than standard furnaces.
- Low cost of operation: Since heat pumps are so efficient, they cost less to operate. In general, heat pumps can reduce monthly home comfort costs by 30 to 40 percent or more.
Heat Pump Disadvantages
- Initial cost: Heat pumps can cost more than furnaces or air conditioners. However, their high efficiency and low cost of operation will allow you to quickly recover the cost of the equipment in monthly savings alone.
- Inefficiency in very cold weather: When outdoor temperatures drop to about the freezing point, heat pump efficiency drops substantially. Most units have a set of electrical heating coils that provide heat during colder temperatures. If you live in an area where temperatures frequently drop below 32 degrees and stay there, a heat pump may not be your best option.
Gulf Coast Air Systems provides expert HVAC stales, installation and service for customers in the Tampa Bay area. Contact us today for more information heat pumps and how to evaluate whether a heat pump will be right for your home comfort needs.
