In very simple terms, a heat pump is a device that transports heat from one area to another. You could say that a heat pump works in almost the same way as an air-conditioning unit, although in the opposite direction, as it uses the same principles and heat transfer methods. In actual fact, a heat pump is more like an air-conditioner and a heater all in one, as the heat cycle can be reversed and rather than taking away cool air all the time, it can also supply it.
Heat pumps work by using refrigerants such as propane, butane or hydrofluorocarbons to absorb heat energy and transport it either inside or outside a building. To cool a room, a heat pump will absorb heat from inside a room through a unit acting as an evaporator and then transport it to the outdoor condenser where it is rejected. In heating mode, the device roles are switched and the outdoor unit becomes the evaporator, absorbing heat energy from the outside air, pressurizing it and moving it indoors to the condenser.
The main benefit of a heat pump is that it works as a heating system and a cooling system, which obviously makes it more useful than individual heaters or air conditioners. As such, to make best use of this system it is best installed in homes situated in areas of temperate climate. There may be a higher financial outlay when installing heat pumps when compared to individual heating or cooling systems, but there are more benefits than just the multiple usage.
Heat pumps are one of the most efficient ways of heating and cooling your home, though it is worthy to note that they work slightly better in terms of ‘coefficient of performance’ (COP) in areas of warmer climates. Although their COP drops in cooler climates, they are still more efficient than using an equivalent electric resistance style heater. Better COP means less electricity used and, obviously, cheaper power bills for you.
Another benefit associated to installing a heat pump when compared with a furnace or electric resistance style heater is that you will not experience a lack of humidity in the air, so therefore there is no need for an air humidifier. Plus, with the condenser situated outside your home, heat pumps run with very low operating volumes. It is expected that the initial installation cost of fitting a heat pump will almost certainly exceed that of an air conditioning unit or heater, but with the savings that can be made on your annual electricity bills, within a certain number of years it will pay for itself.
More : Heat Pumps Or Air Source Heat Pumps
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Tags: heating, Home, home accessories, home improvement