Heat Pumps 101

Is an electric heating & cooling system right for your home?

Heat pumps are in the news a lot lately. Popular for many decades in Europe, these all-in-one heating and cooling systems are becoming more common in U.S. homes. The expert HVAC technicians at JW Pierson Co. have handled more heat pump installations than just about any company in Essex, Passaic or Bergen County.

Let’s discuss what heat pumps are and whether one is right for your household.

How does an air-source heat pump work?

Unlike a furnace or boiler system, a heat pump transfers heat instead of generating it. Air-source heat pumps, the most popular and affordable type, move heat between the inside and outside of your house using refrigerant.

Heat pumps cool you in the summer by drawing heat from inside your home and transferring it to an outdoor condenser, where it’s released outside. Cool air is then distributed to the inside of your home.

In winter, this process reverses. The refrigerant in the condenser absorbs heat from the outside air. (There is heat in the air, even when it’s cold out.) This heated refrigerant moves to your indoor equipment and warms your home.

How do we install a heat pump in your home?

The installation process for an air-source heat pump is often quite expedient. Unlike central air conditioning, you don’t need ductwork for a heat pump. It consists of two primary components — an outdoor condenser and an indoor air handler — connected via thin pipes in your wall. Installing these components requires only minor drilling, and we can connect multiple air handlers to a single condenser.

This makes heat pump installation much faster than central A/C. It also gives homeowners many options for where they place their indoor units. The JW Pierson team can help you select locations that heat and cool the most extensive area possible while also limiting their visibility.

Are heat pumps expensive?

Generally speaking, heat pumps are a bit pricier upfront than central A/C equipment, but you enjoy some excellent cost-saving benefits that quickly make up the price difference:

• Zoned heating and cooling. Because each air handler works independently, you can moderate the climate control in rooms you aren’t occupying. This saves you significant cash on energy use.
• No duct loss. The Department of Energy found that over 30 percent of a home’s A/C-related energy consumption is attributable to air escaping through leaky ducts. This isn’t an issue with a ductless system.
• Longer service life. If you take care of your heat pump with proper maintenance, it can significantly outlive a furnace, boiler or central A/C.

Come to JW Pierson Co. to explore heat pump options.

Don’t settle for a struggling air conditioning system — or, even worse, window A/C units — this summer. Talk to the HVAC experts at JW Pierson Co. We can install your heat pump system and provide top-notch heat pump service and repairs for years to come.

Arrange a heat pump consultation with a licensed JW Pierson technician. Reach out to us today.