Until my husband and I decided moved south, we’d never heard of a heat pump.
We started looking at houses to buy and most were equipped with a heat pump for temperature control.
This applianced sounded like it would require a lot of upkeep and work. I imagined something along the lines of a water or sump pump, and didn’t believe the system would provide sufficient cooling. Prior to putting in an offer on the house we wanted, I did a bit of research into electric heat pumps. They are a truly innovative piece of machinery. Instead of depending on a combustion process to generate heat, the unit simply transfer existing heat from a one location to another. In the winter, the unit takes ambient heat from the outdoor air, compresses it to a warmer temperature, and pumps it inside the house. This process reverses direction in the summer, drawing heat out of the indoor air to provide a cooling effect. The heat pump operates a lot like a household refrigerator, relying on refrigerant to transfer the heat energy. The operation eliminates the issue of byproducts such as fumes, carbon monoxide and harmful greenhouse gas emissions. It functions quietly and is better than a central air conditioner in dehumidification and efficiency ratings. The problem with a heat pump is that it can’t handle outdoor temperature below thirty degrees. In the location my husband and I now live, this is not a concern. The heat pump offers perfect comfort all year round, needs only annual maintenance and actively filters the air. We are totally satisfied with the rewards and value of the electric heat pump.