Heat Pumps as an alternative for heating and cooling.

Here in Albuquerque, many people use swamp coolers for summer and electrical heat for winter are looking at heat pumps as a replacement for both.
In our moderate heating and cooling needs, sometimes with wilder swings of temperature, heat pumps have many advantages. Heat pumps have become much more energy efficient, offer many options for how they work, and can replace both a swamp cooler or older a/c unit and a furnace or other heating source at one time.

Heat pumps are simply heat transfer units moving heat from one area to another with the ability to change direction of heat transfer! In the summer heat is pulled out of the house and sent outside, and in the winter heat is pulled from the outside and sent indoors. You can see that heat pumps that utilize outside air reach their capacity for heating around 32 degrees. If your area sees temps below 30 degrees on a regular basis you might look at options like using ground water for heating.

Types of Heat Pumps

There are three types of heat pumps: air-to-air, water source, and geothermal. All the heat pump does is exchange heat from the medium you choose and warm (or cool) your home.

Most common is outside air. By using a newer, efficient heat pump, not only will you find yourself more comfortable temperature – wise, but you could also reduce your heating by up to 50% if you are replacing electricity heat. Heat pumps can help control humidity, and of course filter the inside air.

Geothermal (which is simply ground-source or water-source) heat pumps achieve higher efficiencies by transferring heat between your house and the ground or a nearby water source. Initially more expensive than air to air, over the long haul it is much more efficient as they work with a more consistent temperature and tend to run less. Geothermal is very reliable, can also cut your heating and cooling costs by a considerable amount, control humidity and can be used in more extreme climates.

So if you are thinking that old swamp cooler is on its last legs, or you want more efficiency, more humidity control, and a system than works in both heat and cooling modes – look no further that the heat pump. Pick up the phone and get a quote!