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If you’re shopping around for a new air conditioner or heater this summer, you may be considering a heat pump. Since it’s an all-in-one system, it offers a wide variety of benefits. But many homeowners wonder if heat pumps are beneficial for the climate where we live. Is a heat pump worth it?
The short answer is yes, with one key consideration. You can keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of having a heat pump up north. Then, give our team a call for your in-home assessment and to talk about your heat pump options.
How a Heat Pump Operates
Heat pumps are unique in the HVAC world. Most of the time you have to have one system that provides cooling for your home and another system that provides heating. A heat pump is two systems in one. During the summer, the components work to remove heat from the air and transfer it outside, leaving cool air to filter into your home. In the winter, that operation reverses and your heat pump instead draws heat in from the outside air and transfers it into your home. Even though temperatures in the winter are very cold, there is still some heat in the air that can be transferred.
This brings us to the one consideration of having a heat pump up north. Our temperatures can get significantly colder than in other areas of the country. Because of this, there is less heat in the air on the coldest days, and your heat pump may lose energy efficiency. We may need to install a small furnace as a backup on those coldest days. It’s something we do all the time, it is very common in our area.
Heat Pump Benefits
Even with the consideration of an added furnace, a heat pump is still highly beneficial for our area compared to other options.
Energy Efficiency
Since a heat pump is not having to work harder to create heat and cold, it is more energy efficient than other options. Your heat pump is transferring energy into and out of your home, depending on the time of year. In fact, you could save hundreds of dollars over the course of a year on energy bills. Energy efficiency also means that your heat pump will take on less wear and tear, which means fewer repairs over the life of the system.
Lifespan
With proper care, heat pumps can also have a very long lifespan. The average age of a heat pump is around 15 years. You want to keep in mind that if you want your heat pump to last that long, you have to invest in annual maintenance twice per year. Once after the summer and once after the winter. It’s a great way to make sure your heat pump is always working at its best without any potential problems festering.
Safety
All HVAC systems come with some risks. But, heat pumps are a much safer option than systems using gas to combust and create heat in the winter. Having gas as an energy source poses a greater risk of fire hazards. Even though a heat pump doesn’t require combustion, it does still have a variety of electrical connections. Wiring is usually safe, but as wires age and wear down they may need to be replaced to make connections more secure.