Heat Pumps: All You Need To Know
Are you replacing, renovating, or building your HVAC equipment? If so, you should know that there are many options for cooling and heating your building. You might be used to traditional climate control options—gas furnaces, boilers, electric baseboard heat, boilers, among other electric heating and cooling systems. You need to try a heat pump this time around. It can be a better option.
Here is all you need to know about heat pumps.
What is a heat pump?
A Heat pump is an electric heating system that can also cool your space. It takes heat from the air and moves it outside or inside, depending on your area’s requirements. It’s energy-saving and environmentally friendly—there’s no need for combustion of fossil fuel to generate heat.
People living in places that don’t get very cold might be more familiar with heat pumps than those in areas that experience shallow temperatures. It is because traditional heat pumps couldn’t warm spaces with shallow temperatures.
Technology has improved tremendously in the past decade, and heat pumps are now efficient and work excellently, even in freezing situations. The performance and effectiveness of today’s heat pumps are a result of technological advancement that includes:
- Thermostatic expansion valves—for more accurate regulation of the refrigerant stream to the inside coil.
- Two-speed compressor designs and improved electric motor
- Adjustable speed blowers-are more efficient and can withstand adverse effects of eventualities such as dirty coils and filters and restricted ducts. However, you can minimize such eventualities by installing furnace filler.
- Better-quality coil and design
- Copper tubing on its inside boost surface area
However, if your system isn’t working correctly, the problem could be the a/c. However, don’t attempt an a/c installation or repair, whether it is a residential or commercial a/c if you are not trained or skilled in such appliances. An a/c installation is a dangerous process, and only competent and certified persons should be working with such equipment.
How heat pumps work
A heat pump is an air conditioner that can also work in reverse to provide heat.
Heat pumps work as air conditioners and as heating systems. When it is freezing inside, they collect warm air from outside and direct it inside. When there is excess heat inside, they gather it and channel it out. Does it appear to defy your logic? How can it be warm outside when freezing inside?
Heat energy always exists outside. However, its quantity is less when it is cold than during warm weather. When chilly out, a heat pump works extra hard to collect heat energy and direct it inside the building. It is why heat pumps work more efficiently during milder climates since they don’t have to strain so much.
What are the types of heat pumps?
This article will discuss air source heat pumps—those that work by collecting heat from the air. You can also install a geothermal heat pump in your home—it collects underground heat and works by using water pipes.
The common types of air source heat pumps include:
- Split-system heat pump
- Single-zone and multi-zone heat pumps
- Packaged heat pumps or rooftop units
- Ducted and ductless heat pump
- The variable refrigerant flows heat pumps.
Split-system heat pumps
Like the typical central air unit (split system air conditioners), split system heat pumps have outside and inside units. The distinguishing feature of split system heat pumps is that they have condenser and evaporator coils in both their outside and inside units. Evaporator coils collect heat while condenser coils discharge heat.
Single-zone (head/port) and multi zone (head/port) heat pumps
A single-zone unit is more suitable for a single room with one indoor head matched to one outdoor condenser.
A Multi-zone system has one outside condenser connected to multiple indoor heads. Multi-zone inside heads vary by style and size, and each generates its specific “zone” of comfort, allowing the cooling or heating of individual rooms, halls, and open spaces.
Rooftop units/Packaged heat pumps
You need to place a packaged heat pump on the roof of your building. Booth condenser and evaporator coils are in a single bundled unit. However, they work the same as other heat pumps. They have a duct system that goes through the walls or roof to convey cooled or heated air.
So, should you choose a rooftop unit or a split system? It depends on the availability of space. It can be cheaper to install and maintain a packaged heat pump if you can easily access your rooftop. However, they are less efficient in tall buildings.
A ducted and ductless heat pump
Most heat pumps convey cold or hot air via ductwork. A ducted system simply uses ductwork. If your building is under construction or already has a properly working ventilation system, you can consider it. However, using duct systems are ineffective and impractical sometimes, especially in scenarios such as:
- Renovating old premises
- Adding cooling and heating to an add-on space, for instance, a garage
- Upgrading your HVAC system
- Duct cleaning may be difficult
- heat pump maintenance can be hectic in tall buildings, for instance, a building with more than ten storeys
- Imperfect duct sealing works can lead to air leakage
You can use a ductless heat pump in such cases. These units work by transferring heat energy via a refrigerant line to a coil or fan system fitted in the ceiling or wall. A Ductless application needs minimal construction; a three-inch hole through the ceiling or wall is enough to connect the inside heads and the outside condenser.
However, these items have their shortcomings. For instance, they might not be an option for a room that lacks a coil or fan system. Furthermore, they are not as efficient as ducted systems.
The VRF-Variable refrigerant flows heat pumps.
The variable refrigerant flows heat pumps are innovative types of heat pump equipment that have some remarkable advantages compared to old-style HVAC systems. VRF units are more energy saving, noiseless, and can accurately regulate comfort conditions in several regions with dissimilar cooling or heating requirements. VRF heat pumps can provide both cooling and heating to different zones simultaneously.
Factors to consider when selecting a heat pump
A genuine heat pump should have an energy guide label. The label should show the heat pump’s cooling and heating effectiveness performance rating for easy comparison with other available brands and styles. Here are some other considerations when selecting and installing the best air-source heat pump:
You might need to choose a heat pump system with a demand-defrost control. It is more energy saving. It’ll reduce the defrost cycles, hence minimizing the system and supplementary energy consumption.
Heat pumps can be noisy and annoying—compressors and fans make a sound when turned on. However, you can minimize the noise by locating the outside unit far away from adjacent premises or windows. You might also need to install a system with less than 7.6 bels outside sound rating. It is quieter than other types. You can also decrease this sound by fitting the system on a noise-absorbing base.
The positioning of the outdoor heat pump unit can affect its effectiveness. You should protect outdoor appliances from high winds that can lead to defrosting glitches. They increase the rate of accumulation of debris in the furnace. You can tactically construct a fence or locate a bush upwind of the system’s coils to guard the unit against high winds.
Furthermore, a nearby local business can have a perfect furnace filler for sale that you can grab. Buy one to protect your equipment from rubbish and other wreckages.
Wrapping up
It’s pretty common to take cooling or heating for granted. The usual reaction is to use HVAC systems installed in the comfort of your home. A touch of the switch can turn your air conditioner on, and you don’t need to worry about the roasting heat anymore. However, it’s essential to understand the other options for heating and cooling machines and equipment at your disposal. A good example is a heat pump. A heat pump installation might help in circumstances like a breakdown or simply lead to a significant reduction in your power bills.