There’s nothing quite like central air conditioning if you live in Florida. We’re known for our humidity and our hot summers that last longer than in the rest of the country. But we get our share of cold days as well—especially in Northern Florida. That’s why we think there’s nothing quite like central air conditioning…except, perhaps, a heat pump.
If you’re looking for the perfect air conditioning and heating system for your home, consider a central heat pump or a ductless heat pump. For more information, contact our friendly team, and read on for an overview of what this system can do for your home.
What’s a Heat Pump?
A heat pump is essentially an air conditioner with some extra components added on. It has an outdoor unit and an indoor blower fan to distribute air throughout the ducts (or directly to the room if you have a ductless unit…more on that later). Refrigerant flows from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit and circulates through the components again and again to move heat—which is how an air conditioner cools a home.
How Does It Work?
Central air conditioners don’t create cool air, per se. To cool something down, you have to remove heat, which is what refrigerant does. It’s a highly effective heat transferrer. As refrigerant evaporates in the indoor coil, it absorbs heat from the air, cooling down the coil. When it goes to the outdoor coil and condenses, heat releases into the air around the outdoor unit.
A heat pump has a reversing valve that changes direction of the refrigerant and reroutes it so that it is able to work in reverse. It removes heat from the outdoor air and brings it indoors. This can work even in very cool climates.
Heat Pump Efficiency
Heat pumps are highly efficient for both heating and cooling. Their cooling efficiency ratings rival those of high-efficiency central air conditioners. Just look for a heat pump with a high SEER rating.
For heating, heat pumps use a lot less energy than comparable systems. High-efficiency electric furnaces still use a lot of energy to constantly generate heat. But a heat pump only has to move heat, a process that requires less exertion. Heat pumps use far less energy than comparable electric furnaces, even those with high efficiency ratings.
Heat Pump Maintenance
Heat pumps do require professional maintenance twice a year to run smoothly, but we would recommend this for any heating and cooling system. You must also change the filter each month (another thing that’s important for any HVAC system).
For the most part, a heat pump is easy to maintain. The most common problems come from a dirty air filter or improper installation, so be sure to call an expert team to install your heat pump and keep up on this maintenance!
Ductless Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are also available in ductless form! You can get a heat pump even without ducts with a ductless mini-split that works in the same way. Instead of pushing air throughout vents in a home, the outdoor unit of a mini-split connects to several indoor blower units mounted high up on walls. This is a high-efficiency solution for a whole home or a renovation.
Learn more about getting a heat pump in Lake City, FL from the experts at [(site_name)] today!