Efficiency equates to value; therefore both factors are important to Long Island homeowners upgrading their HVAC systems. For maximum value, air-source heat pumps are a particularly popular system of choice due to their high efficiency ratings. From initial purchase through years of operation, an air-source heat pump is one of the most practical and economical, and comfortable HVAC equipment options available.
Like conventional air conditioners, air-source heat pumps consist of outdoor and indoor units. However, unlike air conditioners, they keep you comfortable in both summer and winter. In chilly weather, there may not feel like there’s much warmth present outside, but the heat pump can extract what’s there and transfer it into your home. In summer, a reversing valve allows the refrigerant to flow backwards through the system, and the evaporator and condenser coils switch jobs. Now the heat pump gathers the warmth from inside your home and transfers it outside into the environment.
What makes heat pumps so efficient is that they don’t create heat. Instead, they simply move it from one location to another. In fact, the Department of Energy’s research shows that a well-maintained heat pump can generate four times the amount of energy it consumes.
Long Island homeowners are wise to invest in air-source heat pumps for many reasons, including:
- Economical air conditioning and heating from one unit.
- Their ability to decrease the average household’s energy use for heating between 30 and 40 percent.
- Their environmentally friendly use of energy, compared to conventional A/Cs and furnaces.
- Humidity control that outperforms a standard air conditioner.
- Long-term value, or the ability to pay for itself multiple times while you own it.
During moderately cold weather, air-source systems don’t have a problem collecting heat. However, Long Island winters aren’t what many would call “moderate.†When temperatures drop below freezing and snow piles up, heat pumps do lose performance. However, innovative hybrid systems remedy this problem by allowing a gas furnace to take over when the weather gets very cold.
If you’re interested in what an air-source heat pump can do for your household, call T.F. O’Brien. We’ll be happy to answer your questions, and find the perfect comfort solution for your needs.
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