How a Heat Pump Cools Your Home

In Mobile, heat pumps can be a popular solution for heating and cooling your home.

They appear almost like an air conditioner. In reality, they run in the same way during the summer. Due to a reversing valve, they can shift heat in the opposite direction as well as heat your house when temperatures drop.

Not sure if you use a heat pump or an air conditioner? Just find the model number on the outdoor unit and look it up online. If you find you use a heat pump, or you’re considering purchasing one, discover how this HVAC equipment keeps houses comfy.

How Heat Pumps Run

Heat pumps depend on a refrigeration system similar to an air conditioner. Most can work akin to a ductless mini-split, because they can heat and cool. Heat pumps use an indoor evaporator coil and an outdoor condensing coil. Refrigerant is pumped through these coils to move heat. The outdoor unit also uses a compressor and is surrounded by metal fins that function as a heat sink to help move warmth efficiently.

Summertime Cooling

When your heat pump is set to cooling, the refrigerant is in the evaporator coil. Air from inside the house moves over the coil, and the refrigerant sucks out humidity. Wetness in the air also condenses on the coil, dropping into the condensate pan below and moves away. The following cold air circulates through the ductwork and back into your residence.

During this time, the refrigerant moves a compressor on its way to the outdoor coil. This concentrates the refrigerant, causing it to get hotter. As it flows through the condensing coil, the outdoor fan and metal fins help to exhaust heat to the outdoors. The refrigerant heads back indoors, moving through an expansion valve that cools it considerably, preparing it to go through the process all over again.

When your heat pump is put in and maintained correctly, you’ll receive efficient cooling comparable to a high-performance air conditioner.

Wintertime Heating

When your heat pump is set to heat, the heat exchange cycle happens the other way around. By flowing in the opposite direction, refrigerant extracts heat from the outdoor air and vents it into your home to warm the interior.

Heat pumps operating in heating mode are most useful when the temperature remains above freezing outside. If it turns too frigid, a backup electric resistance heater starts to keep your house comfortable, but your heating expenses rise as a result.

Heat pumps are on longer than furnaces because the air doesn’t get as warm. This helps maintain a more balanced indoor temperature. Additionally, because heat pumps shift hot air rather than making it from a fuel source, they can operate well above 100% efficiency. You can anticipate 30–40% savings on your heating costs by switching to a heat pump.

Schedule Heat Pump Installation or Service Right Away

Heat pumps are a green choice and money-saving. They are an alternative to the traditional AC/furnace configuration and require the same amount of maintenance—one appointment in the spring and another in the fall.

If you want to install a heat pump, Climate Control Service Experts is the company to call. We’ll size and install your system to fit your heating and cooling requirements. And then we’ll support our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* for a year. To learn more, contact us at 251-202-7503 right away.

Contact Us