Learning about heat pumps

The first time I heard of an electric heat pump was when my husband and I retired and moved south.

We started house hunting and every property we toured was equipped with a heat pump.

The real estate agent acted as if this was a beneficial feature. Since we’d only ever owned homes with furnaces, we weren’t overly impressed. I did some reading up on heat pumps and was surprised by all of the advantages of this type of unit. One piece of equipment provides both heating and cooling capability. Because it doesn’t burn fossil fuels to generate heat, there’s no harmful combustion byproducts such as carbon monoxide or formaldehyde. It doesn’t create any fumes or greenhouse gas emissions, making it especially safe and environmentally friendly. The system works by moving heat between the outdoor and indoor environment. In cooling mode, the heat pump is just like an air conditioner. It pulls heat out of the house and uses refrigerant to transfer it outside. When the weather cools off, the flow of refrigerant reverses, using the ambient heat available in the outdoor air. The heat pump is very energy efficient, keeping our monthly utility costs reasonable. I like that it is quiet, clean and doesn’t cause concerns with insufficient humidity. I’ve since learned that heat pumps are rather expensive to purchase and install. Since it handles year round comfort, I think it’s a reasonable investment. We want to make sure that the heat pump operates reliably and lasts as long as possible. I schedule professional maintenance for the heat pump every spring and fall.

cooling expert

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