Heat pumps are good substitutes for air conditioners and furnaces. They are some of the most energy-efficient systems for moderate heating and cooling. Just like refrigerators, they utilize electric power. To cool the house, they take up the indoor heat and direct it outside. They don’t generate heat but rather move it from where it is not needed to where it is required.
Types of heat pumps from in NZ
The three types of heat pumps are water source/ geothermal, gas-fired, and air-to-air. They gather heat from the water, outdoor ground, and air respectively and use it to heat the indoor environment.
Air source:
The air-to-air mode conveys heat between the indoor air and the outdoor air. This mechanism can save 50% of your heating costs, meaning that it is better than a baseboard heater or a furnace. There are high-efficiency models which work better than the typical central ACs when it comes to dehumidification. So, you can enjoy a cooling house during summer at a significantly reduced energy cost. Air-to-air pumps are very common except in regions that experience prolonged periods of subfreezing.
Technology has brought an alternative heating mechanism for the cold areas. If your home doesn’t have ducts, you can use the ductless pumps or the mini-split pumps. Additionally, there is another specialized model known as the reverse cycle chiller which produces cold and hot water as opposed to air. This model may be used in conjunction with radiant floor heating.
Geothermal/ water source:
These systems transfer heat between the ground or water and your house. They are more expensive to install, but their operating costs are relatively low. This is because water and ground temperatures are usually constant and so less electric power is used to heat or cool a house. Ground source pumps are beneficial in many ways, and one of them is the reduction of energy consumption by 30-60 percent. They are also long-lasting due to their sturdy nature and can fit in a broad array of home designs. The size of your house, the landscape, and the type of subsoil determine whether a water source pump is sufficient for your home. Seek help from an air conditioning service if you are considering installing a geothermal pump.
Absorption/gas fired pump:
This is a modern heating and cooling system that’s mostly found in residential places. For it to function, it needs a heat source to drive it. Different heat sources can be used to empower a gas-fired pump.
Advanced features of heat pumps
A standard compressor works at full capacity, but two-speed compressor ensures that a pump operates at a close range of the cooling and heating capacity required. That means that a lot of electric energy is saved and the compressor’s lifespan is increased. Two-speed models coordinate so well with zone control mechanisms which are normally found in bigger homes. Other features include dual-speed and variable-speed motors. They help to maintain a comfortable velocity of the moving air thereby reducing energy consumption and keeping the cool drafts at a minimum. The noise from the blower is also reduced when the machine is running at full speed.
The other feature is the desuperheater which is found in high-efficiency heat pumps. This feature uses the excess heat from the pump during cooling mode to heat water. It can heat water up to 3 times better than an electric heater.