A heat pump is one of the units that you can use to heat your home. One of its unique features is that it doesn’t use fuel to generate heat. Instead, it transfers heat from the outside air into the compressor and converts hot or cold air using a refrigerant chemical. To keep the unit in top shape, you need to work closely with your heating repair professional.
Types of heat pumps
There are two main types of heat pumps: standard and inverted. The standard units make use of the standard cycle. In this cycle, once the refrigerant reaches the thermostat temperature, the cycle stops completely. When the room temperature changes, the system restarts itself to bring the refrigerant temperature back to the correct room temperature.
As you might have guessed, every time the unit restarts, it consumes energy; therefore, the more the room temperature changes, the more the unit consumes energy.
In the inverted cycle, there is the use of the variable speed compressor or inverter that eliminates the need for the cycle to stop and restart. Instead of the cycle starting and stopping, the refrigerant continuously cycles at different speeds. Due to this, there is minimal use of energy. This is why inverted heat pumps are said to be the most energy efficient.
Buying new heat pumps
If you just moved to a new house or you need to undertake heat pump replacement, there are many types of heat pumps on the market that you can go for. When making the purchase, you need to consider a number of factors that include:
SEER rating: The seasonal energy efficiency ratio measures the cooling efficiency of the heat pump. The higher the rating, the more efficient the heat pump is.
HSPF rating: The heating seasonal performance factor measures the heating efficiency of the appliance. Just like the SEER rating, the higher the HSPF, the better the appliance.
Type of refrigerant: You need to check whether the coolant that the heat pump is environmentally friendly. One of the best refrigerants that you should go for is Puron—it doesn’t harm the ozone layer.
Decibel rate: Most power appliances are known to make noise that isn’t pleasant to listen to. To heat your house in peace, go for a heat pump with a low decibel rate.
Conclusion
This is what you need to know about heat pumps. When you buy the unit, ensure that reputable HVAC contractors install it.
