Have you been hearing alot about heat pumps lately ? Are you wondering what a heat pump is?
To understand how a heat pump works you first need to understand how an air conditioner works. Air Conditioners are built up of 3 major components, your outdoor unit (condenser), an indoor unit (evaporator), and the piping that connects the two parts. Your indoor unit mounts inside the ductwork just above your furnace, and it acts as a sponge that absorbs heat from the air. The heat that is absorbed by the indoor unit, then transferred outside through the pipes. Once the heat gets to the outdoor unit, it is blown away by a fan located in the outdoor unit. That is a very simple way to explain the air conditioning process.
Now, how does a heat pump work ?
A heat pump works the exact same as a normal air conditioner. It has an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, and piping between the two. It absorbs heat from the inside of your home and dumps it outside. Heat pumps have one extra feature the makes them different. They have a special valve called a reversing valve that can reverse the flow in the pipes, causing the heat to be absorbed from the outdoors, and then dumped inside.
These units are extremely efficient with their use of electricity. And, amazingly, they will absorb heat from the air at temperatures as cold as -30 °. So, heat pumps in Calgary can heat your home in our frigid climate!
These units can take the place of a traditional air-conditioner in your home and some are available for the greener homes grants of up to $5000 . Give us a call today if you have any questions about the greener homes grant and if your equipment could be eligible.
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