What do you like most about March? I’m sure many of you would say college basketball is the best part of this month. I would have a hard time arguing against that. March gives us all the basketball we can watch and then some, but it also usually brings us some of the warmer days we have been waiting for all winter. I like these warmer days because I know that if my heat needs to kick on to warm up my house, it will only use the heat pump and not any electric backup heat.

An air-source heat pump is a heating and cooling system that uses the principles of thermodynamics to transfer heat between indoor and outdoor conditions. It can provide both heating and cooling.

REFRIGERATION CYCLE

• The heat pump contains a refrigerant, a substance with a low boiling point that quickly changes between a liquid and a gas.

• The cycle begins with the refrigerant absorbing heat from the outdoor air, evaporating, and turning into a low-pressure, low-temperature gas in the outdoor coil.

COMPRESSOR

• A compressor then compresses the low-pressure gas, increasing its temperature and pressure. This process requires energy, typically provided by electricity.

• As the refrigerant leaves the compressor, it becomes a high-pressure, high-temperature gas.

CONDENSER COIL (OUTDOOR)

• The hot refrigerant gas then circulates through the outdoor coil of the heat pump. As it releases heat to the outdoor air, the refrigerant condenses back into a liquid.

• This heat exchange process allows the outdoor coil to act as the evaporator during the heating mode.

EXPANSION VALVE

• The high-pressure liquid refrigerant now passes through an expansion valve, where its pressure is reduced. This causes it to cool and expand into a low-pressure liquid.

EVAPORATOR COIL (INDOOR)

• The cool liquid refrigerant then enters the indoor coil, which acts as the evaporator during the heating mode. In this coil, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the indoor air and evaporates into a low-pressure gas.

REVERSING VALVE (FOR HEATING AND COOLING):

• The heat pump has a reversing valve to switch between heating and cooling modes. In cooling mode, the refrigerant flow is reversed, and the indoor coil becomes the condenser, releasing heat to the outside.

With ever-changing technology, you can purchase a cold climate air-source heat pump that can work down to 0 degrees while keeping your home warm and not kicking on the backup electric heat. If you are considering replacing your old A/C with a heat pump or upgrading your current one, call me to see what rebates you might qualify for.