The benefits of heat pumps in Portland differ from one structure to the other. You can find many heating and cooling systems around Portland, but not enough are sustainable or affordable.
If your home's heating system costs you an arm and a leg, it may be time to look for an alternative.
One sustainable innovation in the East has recently gained prominence in the West. They are known as heat pumps and are more environmentally friendly than traditional HVAC installations. It holds up well against warm and cold air, using less electricity.
Find out more below.
What is a Heat Pump System?
A heat pump provides your home's ambient heating and cooling requirements. However, its designs aren't much like their traditional counterparts. A heat pump system typically only comes with one outdoor unit linked to one or more indoor units, with a thermostat for temperature control.
- Indoor units are called Indoor Air Handlers.
- The outdoor unit is called the Compressor.
- Integrated or discrete temperature controls are called the Thermostat.
The Compressor absorbs outside air, facilitating heat energy to fit the thermostat settings. Ambient air or indoor temperatures will be altered according to your preferences and distributed through indoor air handlers.
What are the Benefits of Heat Pumps?
A heat pump system provides direct heating or cooling. A heat pump also works off surrounding heat energy without using any combustion components. Ductless heat pumps don't use ductwork for distribution, resulting in less heat or air loss.
Traditional heating systems have an ignition element, kickstarting combustion and providing warm air. Combustion leads to carbon emissions, negatively impacting the surrounding environment and the building's occupants.
A ductless heat pump system has ignition components, preventing gas leaks and having no air ducts to distribute to the rest of your house. Ductwork is dangerous for leaks, spreading harmful emissions throughout the structure.
One leak in your furnace may spread to the rest of your house in no time. A ductless system can better contain the spread of gaseous emissions and other harmful contaminants. By eliminating links between various air handlers to a singular source, your heat pump is less hazardous and more energy efficient than both an air conditioner and natural gas furnace.
The utmost selling point of heat pumps is their eco-friendly energy use and reduced safety risks. Your home gets warm and cold air without producing carbon emissions or consuming fossil fuels. Americans opt for a ductless type of system for more efficient heating or cooling. A heat pump system also works independently, without relying on a natural gas furnace for heat or separate mechanisms for cooling.
Your heat pump only works with its own components and natural resources readily available around you. It is a more energy-efficient air conditioner that focuses on altering temperatures for its designated zone.
Zoning System
A central air conditioner has ductwork altering temperatures and distributing them to different rooms. A ductless heat pump ensures versatile thermostat controls, allowing more than one temperature in your house.
You don't have to wait for the lord of the manor to decide what temperature you have to study, eat, sleep or lounge in. You can decide for yourself! If you have your own room, you can enjoy the cold air while the rest of the house relishes in warmth.
The inverse is also true. If you like nice warm air, you don't have to upset everyone by turning the Thermostat up! That's the liberty a ductless heat pump grants users central air conditioners cannot.
What's the Difference Between a Ducted and Ductless Air Conditioner?
If your energy bills have incessantly irked you, you aren't alone. A ducted central air conditioner is a staple in American households. However, more and more homes have opted for the more energy-efficient and versatile heat pump. It provides better air quality using less electricity.
Drawbacks of Ductwork | Central Air Conditioner
A central air conditioner uses more electrical energy to generate heat and distribute it to the rest of the house. However, this method results in cold areas and low efficiency. While a central system provides space efficiency, there are more drawbacks than benefits. Unstable thermal controls and unreliable heating or cooling issues are the most frequently reported with central ducted units.
Central air conditioning produces more hot and cold spots in winter, with the air vent closest to the outdoor unit producing more heat than the vent further from it. This isn't an isolated occurrence for winter.
You may run into similar problems year-round, with intolerably hot spots in summer. This may be attributed to maintenance and installation, but it is closely related to how they operate. Thanks to their ductwork, you can expect plenty of problems from a single source.
Is a Ductless Heat Pump System Suitable for Your Home?
As we have mentioned, ductless heat pumps operate independently from each other. Each unit is responsible for a large or small amount of space in your house. A single unit cannot be responsible for your entire home.
It may be intimidating to think you need more than one unit to cater to everyone. However, one of the main benefits of heat pumps includes using natural resources like air and water. A structure with more heat pumps is more sustainable and affordable than a home with one ducted central air conditioning or gas boiler.
While a heat pump may come with a high upfront cost, it helps users save money in the long run. You will experience a positive shift in your monthly utility costs and energy consumption.
Are There Different Types of Heat Pumps?
Electric heat pumps are the most carbon-neutral alternative to traditional installations. However, the type of system best for your home is up to you. Here are the different kinds of heat pumps.
Air Source Heat Pump
An air source heat pump has compressors that extract heat from its surroundings using electricity. During cold weather, where heat particles are scarce, your heat pumps may take longer to produce heating. However, air-source heat pumps are the most direct.
Water Source Heat Pumps
Water source heat pumps have heat chambers submerged in bodies of water. These heat pumps with high Coefficient of Performance (COP) ratings guarantee lower energy bills, which only get lower as the climate cools. It still relies on electricity and shuts down during a power outage, but considerably more sustainable than air-source heat pumps.
Ground Source Heat Pumps (Geothermal Heat Pumps)
A geothermal heat pump is the most sustainable and sophisticated heating system. Geothermal heat pumps require meticulous installation by expert technicians familiar with temperature mapping and your local geology.
Ground source heat pumps are buried underground or underground within a body of water. While it requires more planning to lay down, it works more efficiently. It stores heat particles in surrounding moisture for later use, taking excess heat during summer for winter use.
Why is a Heat Pump More Efficient Than Other HVAC Systems?
Plenty of air handlers can alter indoor temperature while elevating air quality. However, few are as sustainable or affordable as a heat pump. A heat pump will come at higher upfront costs and require more expertise to lay down correctly. Still, a properly installed and well-maintained heat pump will cost less to operate.
The benefits of heat pumps include unmatched sustainability, affordability, and versatility.
Sustainability
A heat pump system doesn't include any combustion components. None of its heat chambers possess ignition to produce heat. Without burning elements, your heat pump remains carbon neutral.
Affordability
Your heat pump doesn't use gas, coal, or fuel to generate heat. With no added utility, all you really pay for is energy use. If you are worried about spiking electricity bills, your heat pump doesn't use air ducts, eliminating the risks of heat loss.
Versatility
A heat pump is the only heating system that can also provide cooling. While it doesn't cool the air, your heat pump extracts heat from indoors, keeping your ambiance fresh and cool.
Ductless Mini-Split Air Conditioning Systems
Ask about energy costs the next time you see an exposed air handler in your friend's home or the town coffeeshop. You might be pleased with the things you hear.
If you don't know what you are looking for, think of a large rectangular unit. It might look like funky new speakers or air filters. They are actually ductless mini-split air conditioners.
Drawbacks of Ductless Mini-Split HVAC
Besides high unit prices, there are minimal drawbacks for these HVAC units. However, without proper maintenance, it may just be as costly as traditional installations. Remember, maintenance is essential for all mechanical devices, especially those facilitating air.
Where Can I Find Heat Pumps?
You may find them anywhere that sells HVAC units. Still, getting your ductless heat pump from a reliable contractor who can help you with its installation and maintenance is best.
You might find an HVAC dealer selling these heat pumps at bargain prices, but they may not have the proper expertise to manage their handling.
Who to Call for Dependable HVAC Services in Portland
There are "affordable" services you can enlist for HVAC installation and tune-ups. Still, there's no professional assurance that comes with their services. Professional contractors offer a warranty for possible hack jobs and subpar performance.
When it comes to heat pump units and other HVAC equipment, opt for one of Portland's most prominent contractors.
Sunset Heating and Cooling | Electric
Leave your worries to us! If you need AC repair and other AC maintenance services, we'll make sure to handle the mess without the stress!
If you have questions about newer innovations and are ready for more sustainable upgrades, our AC replacement experts will guide you through them.
Maintain and Install Heat Pumps with Portland's Finest!
Book your schedule for consultation and services online. Better yet, give us a call!
