As the world heats up year after year, many of us are looking for ways to beat the high costs of air conditioning. Some are also looking for ways to reduce that escalating heat by moving away from fossil fuels. Thankfully, a heat pump can help you do both.
Heat pumps, sometimes discussed as geothermal heating or ground source heat pumps, are definitely an option for cooling your home. Here on Long Island, heat pumps are a great option for heating and cooling your home.
Can a Heat Pump Be Used as an Air Conditioner?
There is a lot of confusing language used in the HVAC community, sometimes deliberately, to obfuscate what they are selling you and how it works.
Some companies will call anything that moves hot air from one part of the building to a cooler place in the building a heat pump. When there is not a constant temperature source, these heat exchangers can be used to distribute heat and cold through a larger area, but they are limited to what the ambient air temperature is. These misnamed heat pumps will take air from a cooler place (like your basement) and exchange it for warmer air from somewhere else (like the attic) or vice versa in the winter.
A ground source heat pump, on the other hand, uses air that has been heated or cooled to the ground temperature and then pushes that into your home. In all but the hardest of winters, the ground temperature just a few feet below the surface of your lawn, stays at a fairly consistent temperature – between 50 and 65 degrees. As the soil temperature changes with the climate above, it takes time for heat and cold to penetrate the ground… so the ground is actually warmest about three months after the hottest of summer days and coolest three months after winter ends.
That gradual change allows your geothermal or ground source heat pump to take advantage of the ground temperature and use it to help regulate the temperature inside your house.
Does a Heat Pump Cool as Well as an AC?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, depending on the type of heat pump you are installing, your home may be more consistently the same temperature than with other heating and cooling options and far more energy efficient. “Geothermal (or ground source) heat pumps have some major advantages. They can reduce energy use by 70%-80%, control humidity, are sturdy and reliable, and fit in a wide variety of homes. Whether a geothermal heat pump is appropriate for you will depend on the size of your lot, the subsoil, and the landscape.”
With the ground temperature at 65 degrees, your ground source heat pump may be much more effective than your air conditioning unit.
As an added bonus, most heat pumps will function longer than traditional HVAC systems. Meaning your investment and energy efficiency can last longer as well. These systems do require some electricity to operate, so you won’t be free from an electric bill just yet. But many homeowners are finding that a combination of geothermal heat pump and solar panels is reducing or even eliminating their dependence on fossil fuels.
Tragar Can Help You Determine If a Heat Pump Is Right for Your Home
Heat pumps are a worthwhile investment for your home to save on electricity bills in the long term and reduce emissions while keeping your home and family comfortable. If you are looking for a way to be more green, save some green, and keep you cool this summer, call us today to discuss your options!
