Home heating expenses account for about 45% of the average household’s bills, and space cooling may be responsible for about 6% of your bills. And in the typical household, these numbers can be much lower. Energy-efficient equipment combined with proper maintenance procedures and thermostat use can cut bills by up to 30%. And one of the most efficient HVAC (heating and cooling) systems out there is the heat pump.
What’s a Heat Pump?
When installed, you’ll notice that your heat pump looks a lot like the standard central air conditioner. And that’s because it is—for the most part. Just like an air conditioner, refrigerant cycles throughout the system, from the inside unit to the outside. Through refrigeration, heat is absorbed from the air inside of the home, and it dissipates outside.
This is how any electro-mechanical central air conditioner works. But a heat pump uses this same technology to bring heat into a home as well as AC. Even though it’s chilly outside, the system is capable of absorbing heat from the outside air to bring it into your home with the help of a few extra valves.
How Does a Heat Pump Save You Money?
Furnaces, boilers, and most electric heating systems must generate heat, a process that uses up a lot of energy or fuel. Heat pumps, however, only have to move heat from one place to another. As engineers work to perfect this technology, this process becomes more and more efficient, and a heat pump can save a lot over other conventional heaters for most of the year.
Heat pumps may become less efficient as temperatures approach freezing. However, a technician will install backup heating strips. While these use more energy than the heat pump system, they may kick in so rarely that your bills don’t take a noticeable hit.
Upgrade your heating and cooling system in the new year with our friendly professionals in Coeur d’Alene, ID. ACI Northwest is here to help with your home comfort needs or concerns. Please do not hesitate to contact us for helpful advice!