This is typically the time of year that homeowners throughout San Ramon are using their heaters on a daily basis, not necessarily shopping for a new system. But if your heater has reached the end of its run, your situation is different, and you’re likely in a rush to find a new heater, now! We urge you to consider your options, and not buy the first system you can find in your budget, as this can be a mistake not only in the installation, but over the years if the system’s efficiency doesn’t meet the needs of your home.
If you have a traditional furnace in place, as well as a standard central air conditioner that also might be aging to a point that an upgrade is due, you’d do well to consider the installation of a heat pump system. Heat pumps operate on the same principle as an air conditioner, but can also be used for heating. Keep reading to learn more about the advantages of such a system, and be sure to reach out to our team for professional San Ramon, CA heat pump services.
Similar to an Air Conditioner, But With One Big Difference
Air conditioners depend on refrigerant in order to do their job—circulating in an endless loop that enables the system to cool the air. Heat pumps use this same method to cool the air, but with a unique twist on the concept. In a standard AC system, refrigerant is shifted from gaseous to liquid form, then placed under a high level of pressure. This process releases heat into the air, which is vented outdoors.
The liquid refrigerant then enters the evaporator coil in a specific amount and shifts back into a gaseous form. This process lowers the temperature in the surrounding air, which is then blown into your home via the fan. The gaseous refrigerant returns to the beginning of the loop and it all starts over again.
Heat pumps do exactly what we just described, in the summer time. In the winter, though, a simple reversing valve component allows the refrigerant process to be reversed—cooling the air outside your home and releasing heat inside your home. This enables the system to serve as both a heater and an air conditioner in one single unit.
The Various Benefits of Heat Pumps
First, heat pumps are ideal in warmer climates that experience relatively mild winters. Sure, our winters get cold by our standards, but they’re nothing like the frigid temps they get in the Midwest, where a heat pump will likely struggle to heat a home efficiently.
The biggest benefit of the heat pump comes this time of the year. Since it relies on refrigerant to provide heat—which is theoretically infinitely renewable (if you’re losing refrigerant, it means you have a leak)—it costs less than a traditional furnace to operate since it’s not generating heat but rather transferring heat.
You should be able to find comfort in your home all year long at an affordable rate, and you can do just that with the right heat pump system in place!