We know, we know … This sounds like it can’t possibly be true. How the heck can a new air conditioner help you with heating? Aren’t they fundamentally two different things that require two different solutions? Well, you’re half right and half wrong!
When it comes to air conditioning installation in Phoenix, AZ, we talk a lot about the perks of heat pump systems, or even ductless mini split heat pumps. These systems are powerful, hyper-efficient, and they tend to be a wonderful solution in such a hot and dry climate like ours. However, what we don’t talk about that often is their ability to be two systems in one.
Heat pumps move heat from one location to another, but that direction can be reversed at any time. This means that by investing in a brand new air conditioning system like a heat pump, you could also purchase a heater that works perfectly for the winter ahead.
How a Heat Pump Can Be a Great Heater
Heat pumps are first and foremost heat-moving systems. What we mean by this is that they focus on moving heat from one place to another, which means they’re by default a heating system. If the temperature inside your home is cold, then a heat pump can be set up to move heat from the outside of your home to the inside, so that you feel comfortable.
Then, at the flip of a switch and the right setting on your thermostat, a heat pump can transfer to being an air conditioner by moving heat from inside your home and depositing it outdoors. Both of these methods are energy efficient and they work.
By comparison, other heating systems can only create heat and they can’t cool your home. Furnaces and boilers, for instance, are powerful heating systems that can create heat but they can’t move heat and cool your home as well.
How Effective Are Heat Pumps?
There’s a misconception going around that heat pumps aren’t as powerful as boilers or furnace systems. While we could see how homeowners can think this way, this rumor is false.
Sure, if you live in an extremely frigid climate that has sub-zero temperatures for months at a time, like our northern neighbors in Canada, a heat pump can lose its efficiency and cause your heating bills to rise. But as far as power goes, and especially in our dry climate with mild winters, heat pumps are perfectly capable of heating most homes.
Efficiency Is a High Priority
One of the most important aspects of your home comfort you should be thinking about is efficiency. How efficient is your home running in terms of cooling and heating costs? This might be a complex answer when you’ve got multiple different types of systems running. For heat pump owners, it’s pretty simple.
Heat pumps are extremely efficient. Their ability to move heat instead of creating heat means that they require less energy to do the cooling or heating that keeps your home comfortable.
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