The carbon footprint that comes with heating and cooling our homes and buildings has become one of the front lines in the battle for a cleaner earth, and many homeowners throughout the Finger Lakes have been in search of a cleaner, more responsible way to keep their homes comfortable. The problem is, most traditionalheating systems rely on combustion to create heat, which requires fossil fuels like oil, propane, or natural gas.
But what if there was an HVAC product that could both heat and cool your home, while efficiently using only electricity do so? There is – and it’s called aheat pump.
How a Heat Pump Works for Heating and Cooling
Heat pumps are impressively efficient, especially when it comes to heating. This efficiency comes from a process that is similar to how anair conditioner works, but in reverse. A heat pump collects and moves existing heat instead of creating it out of thin air, and is designed to do so using a fraction of energy as traditional heating units.
Even in cold climates and sub freezing temperatures, a heat pump can find existing heat in the outside air and bring it indoors, keeping you comfortable. This is much more energy efficient than other electric heating methods – in fact, the US Department of Energy says heat pumps are50% more efficient than electric resistance furnaces and boilers!
When it comes to cooling, a heat pump reverses the process and operates as an efficient air conditioner – removing heat from the inside of your home while also adding cool air. In the end, you are left with an all electric energy efficient heating and cooling system, all in one.
Where Can a Heat Pump Be Installed?
Heat pumps and their more versatile cousins, heat pump mini splits, can be used either as a whole home heating and cooling solution or as a supplemental or single room solution. Heat pumps can be connected to existing ductwork, replacing both a furnace or boiler, and central AC. Ductless mini splits do not connect to ductwork, and can be installed anywhere you are needing the extra heating and cooling power.
Common areas for ductless mini split placement include:
- Bonus rooms or pool houses
- Recently finished garages and basements
- Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
- Home additions that are not included in the central ductwork
Mini splits consist of an indoor air handler, and a compressor that is installed outside. Some mini splits allow for connecting multiple indoor air handlers to one compressor unit. This kind of setup can also be used as a whole home heating and cooling solution, separating the home into comfort “zones”, so every room (and every family member) can have control over the temperature. No more fighting over the thermostat!
Just Need Cooling? Add a Heat Pump to your Existing Furnace
For those who have recently invested in a newer furnace but are considering upgrading their air conditioning system, Halco can offer a heat pump solution that will make use of their existing furnace while also providing a full-house heating and cooling system. By adapting a Mitsubishi Electric or Trane split heat pump system to the existing furnace, you can have a backup heating source, while also benefiting from the energy-efficient and clean heating and cooling provided by the heat pump as a main source of heating.
Call Halco for Heat Pumps in the Finger Lakes Area
The benefits of switching to heat pumps for your home in Ithaca, Syracuse, Rochester, Auburn, or anywhere else in the Finger Lakes reach far and wide, and include:
- Improved energy efficiency and savings
- A reduced carbon footprint (especially when compared to gas appliances)
- Greater indoor air quality
- A more comfortable home all year long
Not only can the home energy and comfort experts at Halco help you find the right heat pump solution for your needs, we can also help you save on the cost of heat pump installation thanks to New Yorkheat pump rebates.
Wondering if a heat pump is worth it? Schedule heat pump installation with the home energy and comfort experts at Halco. Call 315.946.6200 or contact us online.
