While we might not be as informative as a two-hour-long documentary about heat pumps, we’ve got the necessary info about heat pumps right here for homeowners in our area. If you’ve ever wondered how they work, then your search can stop here. We’ve got the experience and the technical background working with these systems to tell you how they work and help you stay informed when investing in a heating system.
To be honest, they’re not as complicated as you might think! Heat pumps in Calgary, AB provide a unique heating solution for many homes in our area, and their utility is only matched by their efficiency and innovative design. These systems are an amazing way to heat your home, and if you’re tired of burning natural gas or dealing with boiler problems for decades, why not give a heat pump a try?
The Heat Transfer Process
Have you ever heard of geothermal heating? How about refrigerators? These are all different types of heat pumps, transferring heat from one location to another! However, it’s not as simple as just flipping a switch and the cold air becomes warm, heat needs to be extracted and taken from a location to be moved to another. Let us explain.
1. Refrigerant
Heat pumps transfer heat by circulating refrigerant, (formerly known as Freon, but now exists in many eco-friendly forms after the Freon phaseout) through a cycle of evaporation and condensation. The compressor of the system pumps the refrigerant between two heat exchanger coils.
2. Heat Transfer
In the first coil, the refrigerant is evaporated at low pressure and begins absorbing heat from its surroundings. It doesn’t matter if the temperature is warm and balmy or below freezing, there is still heat that can be absorbed by the refrigerant. Then it’s compressed en route to the other coil, where it condenses at high pressure.
3. Heat Release
At this point, the highly pressurized refrigerant releases the heat it has absorbed into the condensation coil. If the system is in heating mode, the air handler then releases that heat energy with the use of a blower fan, into your home. If your heat pump is on cooling mode, the heat will be blown outside and the air temperature will be cooled within your home. If you’ll have been paying attention, this is also how an air conditioner works!
4. The Result
Basically, heat is moved by using high pressured refrigerant from one location to another. That’s it! While furnaces and boilers have to burn fuel or consume electricity to create heat and cycle it throughout your home, heat pumps only have to move heat that already exists. This heat transfer process is highly efficient and is an extremely effective mode of heating your home in moderate climates.
We implore you to talk to a professional about having a heat pump to heat and cool your home all year round. They’re works of human innovation that can help your home master any climate at the lowest possible energy cost.
Interested? Call Shift Air Mechanical Ltd. today to schedule your very own heat pump installation!