The Technology Fueling More Heat Pump Sales
By: Brian Sodoma, for Service Experts
If you’re considering a new climate control system, you’ve probably seen heat pumps. While they’ve been around for more than a hundred years, in 2020 they finally passed gas furnaces in sales. Distinct from furnaces, which use natural gas, propane gas or oil to generate heat and electricity for cooling, heat pumps are entirely electric.
Heat pumps are appealing since they are very energy efficient and environmentally friendly; they don’t consume fossil fuels like natural gas. Heat pumps are regarded as a major solution for cutting carbon emissions and studies indicate that heat pumps are a greener option for your home heating system. However, worries about their efficiency in cold weather have discouraged some people. But that’s no longer an issue—thanks to advances in technology.
Continue below to learn how heat pump technology innovations are making them better than ever for today’s eco-conscious homeowner.
The Benefits of Heat Pumps
Generating about four times the amount of energy than it uses, a heat pump is much more efficient than conventional gas furnaces and can even be more efficient than a high-efficiency make/model. And while coal-based power plants still operate today, new renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are on the rise, making all-electric heating and cooling systems even more enticing to today’s green-minded consumers.
On top of that, federal tax credits of up to $2,000 for qualified heat pumps are another factor driving the popularity of heat pumps. When paired with other state and local rebates, homeowners can further increase their total savings.
“Heat pumps are becoming more energy efficient than standard gas furnaces, and they can help you substantially cut your power bill—and for some homeowners, by $500 or more annually,” said Cary Reed, a Service Experts HVAC professional.
Understanding How Heat Pumps Work
During the colder months, heat pumps use heat from the outside air to increase indoor temperature by transporting it through coils. The heat is sent to one or more indoor units, raising the home’s temperature. The key player here is the refrigerant, which changes from liquid to gas–and then back to liquid–as it gathers and releases heat for each cycle.
When it’s hot, the process is flipped. Heat is removed from your home and moved outdoors through the refrigerant coils.
This is how the cycle works:
- When it’s cold, a coil heat exchanger together with a metering device transfers heat from the outside air to the liquid refrigerant inside the coil. Even at lower outside temperatures, there is still heat present in the outside air. As the heat moves to the refrigerant, it increases its temperature to its boiling point and turns it from liquid to gas.
- Next, a compressor pumps the gas refrigerant around the system, boosting the gas pressure where the heat is emitted into the house by a fan or blower. As the heat is released, the refrigerant changes back to liquid. The process goes on until the home’s thermostat is satisfied.
- A reversing valve is used to flip the system from heating to cooling. The reversing valve is regulated by the thermostat and will invert the cycle during the summer, sending heat from the home to the outside.
New Technology Further Improve Heating Efficiency
As the outdoor temperature falls, heat pumps become less effective and have lower heating capacity. But top brands have implemented significant technological advancements to improve every aspect of the performance of heat pumps through severe cold.
For starters, these brands are creating new system designs to achieve higher SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) minimum ratings. The highest SEER rating means lower energy use for the system. While SEER primarily applies to cooling, the heat pump’s energy and cost savings throughout the summer go up noticeably as minimum SEER standards do the same.
When it comes to a heat pump’s total capacity, many brands have engineered heat pumps that can sustain maximum efficiency and heating capacity even once temperatures drop as low as -15 degrees. This is a sharp 20- to 30-degree improvement compared against standards just five years ago.
“How are they making this happen? They have access to enhanced variable-speed compressors to reduce the time it needs to adjust power while using less energy. Additionally, the heat exchangers designed for modern units are significantly bigger, which enables more effective heat transfer. In case of severe cold, the systems will utilize backup heaters that will start below certain temperatures.
These advancements have been in some part due to the Department of Energy’s Residential Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge, a federal program aimed at accelerating heat pump innovation.
“The heat pump boom is actually a perfect storm,” Reed said. “People want to do their part for the climate while saving money, and there are strong incentives. We are even seeing some customers, who purchase a heat pump, will also upgrade their insulation to make the most of their energy efficiency and savings.”
For details about our available heat pumps, visit serviceexperts.com/heat-pumps. To set up an appointment with a heating and cooling pro, visit our scheduling page.