Is your furnace or air conditioner on its last legs? Are you adding on to your home but have concerns about how to integrate heating and cooling for the new space into the existing system? Does the very thought of the power bill in the mailbox cause anxiety about how much money it will drain from your checking account?
If any of these scenarios sound familiar, you may find that a heat pump is the perfect solution for keeping your home comfortable all year. Although most conversations about heat pumps center on how energy efficient they are, heat pump systems offer a long list of additional benefits as well. With a heat pump, you can enjoy more consistent temperatures, better indoor air quality, increased convenience, and lower energy bills.
Here, AAction Air Conditioning & Heating Co. experts explain why Atlanta area homeowners should switch from their existing heating and cooling systems to an energy-efficient heat pump and what they can expect when they do. When you select the right equipment and invest in professional installation and ongoing maintenance, you can enjoy affordable comfort in every season for years to come. Refer to the following guide to learn more about the types of heat pumps, how they work, and the many advantages they offer.
How Do Heat Pumps Work?
Heat pumps heat and cool by extracting heat from the air or ground and transferring it into your home (or outdoors, if it’s set to cool). Unlike a furnace, which burns fuel to create heat, heat pumps use electricity to transfer warm air, eliminating the need to use gas or oil to warm up your home on a chilly winter day or cool it off during a sweltering Georgia summer. The simplest explanation is that the system pumps heat from one place to another.
Heat pumps can be either air-source or ground-source; air-source is more common and less expensive to install. Both have an outdoor unit, which resembles the typical central air conditioner unit common in most Georgia homes, and an indoor unit, also called an air handler, which blows the heated or cooled air into the ducts. Ductless mini-splits replace the air handler with a wall-mounted unit, which connects directly to the outdoor unit and blows warm or cool air directly into the room.
When the system is in heating mode, the outdoor unit serves as an evaporator; the refrigerant in the coils absorbs the heat and then transfers it to the indoor unit, which acts as a condenser. The condenser pressurizes the refrigerant, causing it to release heat, and a fan blows the warmed air into the ducts and through your home. Switching into cooling mode reverses the process, with the indoor unit collecting and evaporating heat from inside and sending it to the outdoor condenser.
Energy Savings
Because heat pumps don’t generate their own heat, they use significantly less power than a furnace; by some estimates, they use 50% less electricity than a traditional heating system. Considering that propane and oil prices remain expensive and continue to climb, investing in an alternative heating source can significantly reduce household expenses. The Department of Energy estimates that the average Georgia homeowner can save about 26%, or $790 per year, on annual energy costs by replacing their existing furnace with a high-efficiency heat pump.
In addition to saving money, increased energy efficiency offers environmental benefits. Studies indicate that using an air-source heat pump can reduce your household carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 40%. How much your individual footprint shrinks depends on how your power company generates energy, with the greatest carbon decreases in areas where electricity comes from coal or fossil fuels.
Increased comfort and convenience
Not only do heat pump systems streamline home heating and cooling by incorporating both into a single, space-saving system, but they also support more consistent indoor temperatures. Traditional furnaces turn on and off frequently to match the thermostat setting, causing temperature swings that can also affect indoor humidity. Inconsistent humidity can make rooms feel warmer or cooler than they are, causing you to constantly adjust the thermostat, which uses more energy and puts wear and tear on the furnace.
A heat pump works best at a single setting, so it more effectively maintains a consistent temperature and humidity. This, combined with the built-in air filtration system, helps keep your home comfortable and reduces contaminants that can exacerbate allergy and respiratory symptoms. Not only do the quiet systems require minimal maintenance, but they are also simple to use; just a flip of the switch can change the unit from heating to cooling (and vice versa).
Long-Term Savings
Some homeowners may balk at the thought of investing thousands of dollars in a new climate control system, but the long-term savings of a heat pump offset the initial expense. The Department of Energy estimates the system will pay for itself in energy savings within five years and continue to reduce costs long after. Homeowners may also qualify for state and federal incentives to make equipment and installation costs more affordable.
The minimal maintenance requirements of these modern systems can also help reduce the overall cost of ownership. Annual maintenance and tune-ups save money by preserving the overall longevity of the system and reducing repair costs.
Conclusion
A reliable heating and cooling system is a must-have in any home. Switching to a heat pump to heat and cool your Atlanta, GA, property can save you thousands of dollars, provide consistent indoor comfort, and reduce your family’s carbon footprint. AAction Air Conditioning & Heating Co. is the Atlanta area’s first choice for reliable heat pump installation and maintenance services. If you’re ready to learn more about installing an energy-efficient heat pump in your home, send us an online message or call us today to learn more about system options and request a free estimate. Trust us to help you get a unit you’ll love.