When considering the available options for HVAC systems your home in the San Jose area, nothing seems to make more sense than the efficiency, economy and flexibility provided by heat pumps. Because our winters are fairly short and moderate, air source systems are typically the most practical choice. They are less expensive to buy than the others, and yet will provide you with a comfortable, efficient means for heating your home in winter and cooling it in summer.
Why Heat Pumps Are More Efficient Than Traditional Furnaces
The reason a heat pump is so much more efficient for heating than a traditional furnace is because it doesn’t burn fuel to create heat but simply uses heat already found in the outside air to provide warmth. Even when outside temperatures approach freezing, the air still contains a useable amount of heat that can be captured by a heat pump to warm your home.
This is accomplished using two sets of copper coils, filled with refrigerant similar to what’s found in your refrigerator. Since heat energy always seeks a colder environment, the heat in the air outside is absorbed by the coolant in the outside condensing coil, compressed to increase the temperature and then transferred indoors where the heat is released into your living space, via the inside evaporator coil. During cooling operations, the process is simply reversed to capture indoor heat and remove it to the outdoors. For cooling purposes, an air source heat pump has about the same efficiency level as a modern central A/C.
Benefits of choosing heat pumps:
- They require minimal maintenance
- They have a lengthy life expectancy
- They deliver reliable heating & cooling
- They are cost-effective to operate
- They are environmentally friendly
Types of Heat Pumps Available
Heat pumps are available in several types. Although each uses the same process of heat transference to produce heating and cooling, they differ in the ways that heat is collected and dissipated during heating/cooling operations.
Different types include:
- Air-to-air (also called "air source"); this is what people usually think of when they hear "heat pump"
- Air-to-water and air-to-ground, also called geothermal
- Ductless mini splits, which are a type of air source heat pump that requires no installation of air ducts
If you’re interested in installing a heat pump in your San Jose home, call Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Solar at (408) 868-5500 today or contact us online!
