When you look at your energy bill every month, it is normal to wonder if you are doing everything you can to keep your energy expenses as low as possible. It is then common to try various tactics to lower your bill, often with compromises to the comfort of you and your loved ones. There are several options that you can look at that do not sacrifice how comfortable you are in your home. One of these options is to install a heat pump.
What Is a Heat Pump?
Despite the name, heat pumps are a great option that do more than heat your home. These systems can also help with humidity control and provide air conditioning for a residence. They work by utilizing electricity and refrigerant to move or pump heat from one area to another. A heat pump does not actually produce heat like a furnace does. Instead, it extracts energy from the air, water, or ground around your home. It uses the same principles to cool your home but in reverse. During warm months, this system pulls the heat from your home and then re-disperses it outside, thereby creating an air-conditioned effect.
Why Heat Pumps Are More Efficient
A heat pump’s process of collecting and moving heat is simply more efficient than traditional heat generation methods. How is that the case? Let’s look at the numbers.
Common electric resistance heat has a value of 1 when it comes to its coefficient of performance. This means that it equals roughly 100% efficiency. For every watt of energy, you get about a watt of heat. This does not factor in, however, energy line losses that occur as electricity moves from its source to a home.
Burning fossil fuels has a lower efficiency rating than this since not all the available energy is converted into heat. Some are lost through chimneys or in the atmosphere.
Comparatively, with more thermal energy being produced than electrical energy consumed during heat transference, a heat pump that is functioning in optimal conditions has an efficiency of around 300%.
The Ways in Which Heat Pumps Are a More Efficient Option
There are several ways in which heat pumps are a more energy-efficient option. Most importantly to many customers, heat pumps have a lower operating cost, so you are bound to save money on your utility payments. In fact, it is estimated that a geothermal heat pump can save you up to 60% in energy costs over a furnace. Heat pumps also tend to require less maintenance than other systems, so you will be placing fewer calls to a repairperson, saving you even more money.
Heat pumps are also much more efficient at decarbonizing when compared to gas furnaces. In fact, heat pumps have been found to have 2.2 to 4.5 times greater efficiency ratings than these types of systems.
What Is the Most Energy-Efficient Variety of Heat Pump?
Now that we have established that heat pumps, in general, are more energy-efficient than some other types of systems, let’s look at the different varieties of heat pumps to examine which have the greatest efficiency.
Here are the various varieties of heat pumps:
- Ducted air-source
- Mini-split air-source
- Ground source
- Water source
- Air-to-water
- Absorption
- Dual fuel
- Packaged
- Window
With so many varieties of heat pumps, it can be difficult to know which type will give you the most energy efficiency. While you can count on nearly any type of heat pump to provide you with more energy efficiency than some other heating options, for the most energy-efficient varieties of heat pumps, look to either ground source or air-to-water.
Ground-source heat pumps are reliant on the temperature of the earth below the frost line for heat transference. These types of heat pumps take the heat that is stored in the earth and distribute it into a building during the winter months. During the summer, a ground-source heat pump pulls the air from a building and then back into the ground. It serves as a heat sink in the summer but as a heat source during the winter. These types of heat pumps can cut energy consumption by up to 50% beyond that of a traditional heat pump, increasing the total energy efficiency to an impressive 300% to 600%.
Air-to-water heat pumps take thermal energy from outside air and then put it into water. The water is then utilized for the cooling or heating of interior spaces. This is accomplished by means of radiant surfaces, fan coils, or hydronic terminal units. These systems can also be used to heat domestic water, providing heated domestic water as well as heating and cooling for a property all through a single system. They provide an impressive amount of energy efficiency, generally upward of 400%.
Finding the Right Energy-Efficient Heat Pump for You
There are many factors to consider when finding an energy-efficient heat pump that is going to be right for your needs. One thing to be aware of is what kinds of heat pumps are realistic given the type of building you live in. Some structures cannot accommodate certain types of heat pumps, or there could be building codes that need to be adhered to that narrow the variety of heat pumps that can be installed.
Cost can be another factor whether it is the price of the type of unit or how much will have to be done to facilitate proper installation. While ground-source and air-to-water are the most energy-efficient types of heat pumps on the market, these and other factors might require looking at the other varieties of heat pumps to determine the best option for your particular needs.
Your best bet for finding the right heat pump option for your home is to speak to a licensed professional. Davis & Green has been in business since 1984, and we’re considered the top name in comfort for residents of Richmond, VA, and the surrounding areas. Our team of employees is ready to take you through all the heat pump options available to meet your unique situation and can help determine what will be the most energy-efficient choice for you.
We can also provide installation, repair, and routine maintenance services for your new energy-efficient heat pump. Our expert technicians can also be trusted to be there for any of your other heating, cooling, or plumbing needs. We can even be your go-to for electrical and indoor air quality services. Best of all, we are available 24/7 in case an emergency should arise.
Being energy-efficient should not come at the expense of lesser comfort for you and your loved ones. We know that we can help you find a solution that works best for your needs.
If you are in the Richmond area and are considering moving to a more energy-efficient option for heating and cooling your home, reach out to Davis & Green today.
