Put Your Tax Refund In A Heat Pump, And You’ll Have A Long-Term Payback
If you’re considering upgrading your HVAC system and want an option that will save you money and use less energy at the same time, a heat pump may be the perfect solution. In spite of the name, a heat pump both heats and cools a home. As a bonus, it does its job in a more energy-efficient manner than a traditional HVAC system.
A heat pump works in a manner similar to an air conditioner. It pulls air over coils that are either hot or cold, depending on your thermostat settings. When in cooling mode, the heat pump moves the heat from your home and deposits it in the air, ground or nearby water, leaving the air cooler. The reverse happens in heating mode, as the heat pump pulls heat energy from the outdoors to warm your home. This process uses less energy than a furnace that uses combustion to generate heat. You get the same amount of heat in your home for a much lower cost.
Heat pumps do lose some of their energy efficiency in the case of extremely cold weather. Many homeowners opt to have a backup source for heat if the temperatures drop too low. Given Florida’s usually mild winters, however, you can expect to see the energy- and money-saving benefits of your heat pump the majority of the time.
When you’re trying to determine which heat pump is best for your needs, the energy efficiency ratings can help you make a decision. Heat pumps come with two ratings, one for the cooling mode, called seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER), and one for the heating mode, called heating season performance factor (HSPF). Usually, a higher efficiency rating means more savings. For the most energy efficient heat pumps, look for a HSPF rating between 8 and 10, and a SEER rating between 14 and 18. You can also look for heat pumps with the Energy Star label, which indicates high energy efficiency.
For expert advice on heat pumps and other geothermal heating and cooling matters, contact the experts at Symbiont Service Corp.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat pumps and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Symbiont Service Corp. serves Englewood, Florida and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
Money Savings image via Shutterstock |
Stay In The Loop
Don't miss out! Like us on Facebook or subscribe to our RSS Feed on Feed Burner and get our latest posts.