Fall has officially arrived in the Portland, OR area, and that means you’ll soon have need of a heating system to keep your home warm during the cold winter nights. If you have an older heater, replacing it may be a good idea, lest it break down on you in the middle of a cold front, and if your air conditioner’s warranty has expired, you may need to consider a new AC as well. Either way, it pays to make a heat pump a possible replacement from both. They provide a number of benefits over other kinds of heating and cooling, and they make a particularly good fit for homes in our part of the country.
What Is a Heat Pump?
A heat pump is essentially no different than an air conditioner. It simply adds a new feature that increases its versatility. Normal air conditioners cycle refrigerant through a series of valves and coils. First heat is bled off of the refrigerant in the outdoor portion of the unit (which releases the heat through the vents), then the refrigerant pulls heat from the air inside the unit (which can then be blown into your home with a fan).
During the summer, the heat pump functions exactly like any other air conditioner. However, it can also reverse the flow of refrigerant so that it cools the air outside your home and releases hot air into it. That allows it to function as both a heater and an air conditioner in one system. More importantly, it can save you big money on monthly heating bills, since it uses the refrigerant (which isn’t consumed) to create the heat instead of gas or electrical power.
If a heat pump sounds like a good fit for your home, then call the pros at Clean Air Act, Inc. today to discuss your options!