Geothermal Heat Pump Archives

In the residential HVAC world, one of the newest products to hit the market is the extremely efficient heat pump. Due to its name, many homeowners assume that it can only heat their homes. However, it can also cool your home in the summertime.

Why Is It Called a Heat Pump?

First and foremost, it will help to address why this system is called a heat pump. This will allow us to clear up any confusion about whether it heats or cools your home. This type of system is referred to as a heat pump because it pumps heat in a specified direction. During the wintertime, a heat pump will transfer heat from the outside air to the inside of your home. During the summertime, a heat pump will extract heat from a warm room and transfer the radiant energy to outside your home.

The Different Types of Heat Pumps

It’s important to note that heat pumps are just a broader category that can be divided into two smaller categories. These include air-source and geothermal heat pumps. With air-source heat pumps, heat is extracted from the air. On the other hand, geothermal heat pumps transfer heat from the water or the ground. You may hear geothermal heat pumps referred to as ground-source or water-source heat pumps, depending on the substance they extract heat from.

How Does an Air-Source Heat Pump Operate?

Since not all properties can accommodate a geothermal heat pump, we’re going to spend the majority of our time discussing air-source heat pumps. These are the most common types of heat pumps installed in residential settings. Each air-source heat pump will have five main components.

Outdoor Unit

All air-source heat pumps will have an outdoor unit with a coil and a fan. Typically placed right next to the exterior of your home, this outdoor unit works to blow the outside air on the coils to facilitate heat transfer.

Indoor Unit

The indoor unit is also called the air handler unit, and this component contains a fan and coil. This fan works in much the same way as in the outdoor unit. It blows inside air on the coils to transfer heat in the desired direction.

Refrigerant

The lifeblood of any air-source heat pump is refrigerant. This substance works to absorb heat. Refrigerant is pumped throughout the entire heat pump system to transfer heat either indoors or outside.

Compressor

The compressor increases the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant.

Valves

The last component of an air source heat pump is its valves. There is an expansion valve, which regulates the flow of refrigerant as it goes throughout the system. It’s responsible for helping to reduce the pressure of the refrigerant. The second valve is called the reversing valve. This component is responsible for reversing the flow of refrigerant so that you can switch between heating or cooling your home.

How Does a Heat Pump Cool My Home?

The process of cooling of your home with a heat pump starts with the fan on the indoor air handler blowing the warm room air across the coils. These coils are filled with a cold liquid refrigerant. Because heat energy naturally moves from warmer to cooler areas, the cold refrigerant will naturally attract heat from the warm air that is blown over the coil. This results in heated refrigerant and the now-cold air. This conditioned air is sent back into your home via your ducting or your ductless system.

The refrigerant heats up after it absorbs the heat energy from the room and turns into a gas. This gaseous refrigerant is now forced through the compressor where it becomes even hotter and flows to the outside unit. Similarly to the inside unit, the outside unit will run a fan over the coil that is filled with the hot gaseous refrigerant. Since the outside air is cooler than the hot refrigerant, the heat from the refrigerant will naturally be dispersed into the air outside.

When this process happens, the refrigerant turns back from a gaseous state to a liquid state. The refrigerant liquid is pumped back into the house through an expansion valve. This expansion valve reduces the pressure of the refrigerant and cools it significantly. Once the refrigerant is cold again, it’s pumped back into the coil in the indoor unit, and the process starts all over again.

Your heat pump will continue to work until the inside temperature of your home matches what your settings are on your thermostat. It’s crucial to note that heat pumps utilize a basic thermostat like your furnace or central air conditioning unit does. You need to set your desired temperature, and your heat pump will take care of getting the air inside your home to that temperature.

How Does a Heat Pump Heat My Home?

In the wintertime, your heat pump will utilize a very similar process that we discussed above. However, it will do this process in reverse thanks to its reversing valve. The outdoor unit will blow air across its coils that are filled with refrigerant that is colder than the outdoor air. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the warmer air and is pumped indoors. It then travels through the compressor and vaporizes into a hot gas. When it arrives at the indoor unit, a fan blows heat energy out of the refrigerant and into your cooler home. The now-cooled refrigerant travels through the expansion valve, loses pressure, becomes colder and is pumped into the outdoor coil where it absorbs heat from the warmer outside air. This process repeats itself until your home reaches your desired indoor temperature.

Ducted and Ductless Heat Pumps

When you first start analyzing air source heat pumps, you’ll notice that there are two different types of offerings. These include ducted and ductless systems. The difference between the two is how the treated air is dispersed throughout your home.

When you think of a typical HVAC system, most of them include ductwork. This means that air ducts run throughout the walls and floors of your home. They disperse warm or cold air via vents. With this type of system, an indoor handler unit can be placed in a hidden area of the home, such as your basement or utility closet.

The other type of heat pump system is the ductless system. These are commonly referred to as mini-split systems. Instead of having ductwork run throughout your home, these systems use wall-mounted units to disperse warm or cold air into each main room of your home. Each wall-mounted unit will be connected to refrigerant lines that go to the outdoor unit of your home. Ductless mini-split units are more common in existing homes without ducting or for room additions in a ducted home.

Rely on the Pros

When you are looking for heat pump experts for your home in Tacoma, look no further than Hunt’s Services. We offer a wide variety of services, including plumbing, heating, cooling, water filtration, sewer, drain, electrical, and indoor air quality products. Contact Hunt’s Services today, and we’ll get one of our experienced professionals on the way to your home.

Home heating systems use more energy than other systems in your home. These systems make up about 29% of monthly utility bills. You can reduce your home heating costs by picking an energy-efficient heating system combined with proper system maintenance and necessary efficiency home upgrades. Energy-efficient systems coupled with air sealing, necessary insulation, and the right thermostat settings will save money and reduce your carbon footprint. Consider any of these six options if you’re looking for an energy-efficient home heating option.

Active Solar Heating

An active solar heater heats liquid or air using solar energy. The heated fluid transfers the heat into your home, where it heats the space or is stored for later use. Liquid-based solar heaters use water or antifreeze to absorb solar heat. The liquid then moves through a collector with the aid of a circulating pump to heat the home. The liquid goes to a heat exchanger, where it instantly heats the home or to a storage tank for later use.

Air room heaters, on the other hand, use an airtight metal frame with a dark metal plate. The plate absorbs solar energy to heat the air inside the collector. The heat then circulates in the room via a blower or electric fan. You may need an auxiliary system if the active solar heater does not provide sufficient heating in your home.

Furnaces and Boilers

Most homeowners use furnaces and boilers to heat their spaces. Boilers heat water, which flows through pipes as steam or hot water to heat spaces. On the other hand, furniture heat air that flows through ducts to heat a home. Modern furnaces and boilers have a high-efficiency rating, making them cost-effective ways of heating a home.

Furnace and boiler manufacturers use annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) ratings to show how efficient their systems are. The AFUE rating shows how effectively an appliance converts fuel to heat. If an appliance has an AFUE rating of 90%, it means that 90% of the energy from the fuel converts to heat while 10% escapes. Aim for systems with a high AFUE rating, such as all-electric furnaces that convert 100% of their energy to heat.

You can find gas and electric furnaces. Which type to choose may depend on your home and your region. Many modern electric furnaces have advanced technology that enhances their energy efficiency. Gas furnaces can be quite energy efficient, but they come with risks as they rely on burning fossil fuels. Natural gas or carbon monoxide buildup can happen with systems that are not properly installed or maintained. Plus, not all areas have municipal gas lines readily available, so gas furnaces are not always an option.

For boilers, opt for radiant heating. Radiant heating is more efficient than baseboard and forced-air heating as it eliminates duct losses. The radiant heating system is ideal for people with allergies as it does not distribute allergens like systems that use air fans. A homeowner can use radiant air floors, electric radiant floors, hot water radiant floors, or radiant panels placed on walls. Air radiant heating is less energy efficient as air holds less heat. Hydronic radiant heating, where hot water from the boiler passes through pipes to heat a floor, is more effective.

Modern Wood and Pellet Heating

Modern wood and pellet-burning appliances offer cleaner, more efficient, and powerful home heating systems. These are ideal for heating average-sized homes. Pellet heating systems burn pellets that are about an inch long or smaller.

To ensure the efficiency of wood and pellet heating systems, you need to pick the right size. An oversized system will lead to heat loss as homeowners tend to let the fire slowly smolder to reduce overheating. If the system is undersized, it will not adequately heat your space. Pick a stove rate of 42,000 British Thermal Units (BTU) to heat a 1,300-square-foot home and a 60,000 BTU stove for a 2,000-square-foot home.

Pick a wood-burning appliance certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The downside with wood and pellet heating systems is that they produce smoke. As such, some municipalities might restrict their use.

Heat Pumps

Instead of burning fossil fuels, heat pumps draw heat from outdoor air, the ground, or water to heat a home. The key to their efficiency is heat transfer vs heat generation. Heat pumps often use the same air ducts as central AC and heaters. During the summer, the heat pump reverses the refrigerant and acts as an air conditioner to make the home comfortable. The air-to-air heat pumps are not ideal for hot water generation.

Air-to-water heat pumps contain several units connected by pipes with refrigerant. The outdoor unit absorbs heat from the outside air. It transfers the heat to the indoor unit, which transmits the heat to a radiator or floor radiant heating system. You can also use the air-to-water heat pumps as a hot water heater.

Further, you can pick ground-source or solar-assisted heat pumps. Ground-source heat pumps draw heat from the ground using sensors. The sensors sit deep in the ground, where the temperatures are relatively higher. However, ground heat pumps require extensive installation work. With a solar-assisted heat pump, you can combine solar panels with heat pumps to heat a home adequately and produce hot water.

Mini-Split Systems

Sometimes, a central, ducted heating system is not practical. This may be true in older homes that don’t have an existing central climate control system. It can also be true for home additions and converted basements, garages, or attics.

A mini-split typically consists of one outdoor unit and one or more indoor air handlers. These are connected through small tubes or pipes that carry wires or refrigerant. The small air handlers are often mounted on a wall and have their own thermostat and sensors. With these systems, you can precisely control the temperature of each room or area of the house. You can enjoy significant energy savings because you can choose to keep areas you don’t use cooler.

Electric Resistance Baseboard or Wall Heating

Electric resistance heaters convert 100% of the incoming energy to heat. If you live in an area with few heating days or need a system to supplement the central heating system, these heaters will be cost-effective. You can also use electric resistance for a home addition where extending the existing central heating system is not practical.

Talk to Heating Experts

Sometimes, a combination of heating sources will ensure adequate heating in your home while ensuring energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Hunt’s Services in Tacoma, WA, offers installation, repair, and maintenance of heat pumps, furnaces, and air conditioning systems. We can also help with duct cleaning and indoor air quality solutions. You can turn to us for your plumbing and sewer needs, too.

Installing a new energy-efficient heating system can be an overwhelming experience. Our experts at Hunt’s Services will guide you through Tacoma, WA’s heat pump and furnace types and installation processes. If you need a system that circulates healthy air in your home while reducing utility bills and your carbon footprint, contact Hunt’s Services today.

Tag: Geothermal Heat Pump

How Do Heat Pumps Work?