If you want to replace your home’s air conditioning or heating system, you may want to consider an air-source heat pump. These products provide cool air in the summer, just like standard air conditioners, but also provide
heat in the winter. But how exactly do they do both?
How Heat Pumps Work in the Summer
In the summer, a heat pump works like a standard air conditioner. A Heat Pump uses a refrigerant to absorb
unwanted heat in your home and transfer it to the air outside. By controlling the pressure of the refrigerant, an
air conditioner can extract heat from your home, even on very hot days.
How Heat Pumps Work in the Winter
A heat pump uses this same cycle “run in reverse” in the winter to extract heat energy from the outside and
transfer it into your home. Even when it’s really cold out, there is still some amount of heat energy in the air.
Because the outdoor air has higher energy than the cold, low-pressure refrigerant, the refrigerant absorbs that
heat. When the refrigerant is piped back into your home, it is used to warm up the air inside.
How Does a Heat Pump Save Energy?
Because it moves heat from one place to another rather than generating it, a heat pump uses less energy to warm your home than conventional electric, fuel oil, LP, and many gas systems. If you are replacing a central air conditioning system, heat pumps can work with the existing ducting in your home or are available as mini-split
or “ductless” units if your home does not have ductwork.
