If you’re looking to buy a new heating system for your Oklahoma City home, you may limit your search to furnaces. Before you make the investment, speak with an expert from TS Heat & Air about the benefits of a heat pump.
What Is a Heat Pump?
A heat pump is a single unit that provides heating and cooling for your home. It works by pulling heat from a source, such as the air or ground, and transferring it to a thermal reservoir. It will either retain the heat during the winter months or remove the heat during the summer months for cool air in your home.
Heat Pumps vs. Furnaces
Heat pumps are distinct from furnaces because they provide both heating and cooling. The units run only on electricity because they do not need a secondary fuel source, such as natural gas, to heat the air. When the heat pump is installed, you can replace your furnace and air conditioner.
1. No Secondary Fuel Source
If you have a natural gas heater for your Oklahoma City home, you pay for both the electricity to operate the unit and natural gas to heat the air. With a heat pump, you eliminate the need for natural gas, and this reduces your total household energy consumption.
2. Heat Distribution
By design, heat pumps do not have to produce any type of heat. Instead, they only extract heat from the ground or air. The warm air is delivered into your home during the winter and outside your home in the summer. Due to this design, a heat pump will reduce your heating costs by up to 60% compared to a new furnace.
3. Two-Stage Designs
Most furnaces have a single-stage design, and this means that the unit can only operate at a single speed. Heat pumps typically come in two-stage designs. When the temperature difference between the indoor air and thermostat setting is relatively large, such as when you turn up the heat in the morning, the heat pump operates at full capacity until the desired temperature is reached. At that point, it operates at a reduced capacity to maintain the temperature. The design also means that there is less temperature variations during the day because the unit runs with smaller changes in temperature. A furnace, on the other hand, will not turn on until the temperature inside your home dips down a few degrees or more.
4. SEER Ratings
The US Department of Energy has established Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ration (SEER) ratings for HVAC equipment manufacturers. When a new system is offered to consumers, the manufacturer must design the system to meet a minimum SEER rating and state the rating on the packaging. Most furnaces have a SEER rating of 10, whereas heat pumps typically have a 20 SEER rating. The higher SEER rating means that the unit is more energy efficient.
5. Flexible Heat Sources
With a heat pump, you have three options for where the unit extracts heat. TS Heat & Air carries models that use the air, ground, or water. The most common designs use air, and ground heat pumps, also known as geothermal heat pumps, are gaining in popularity. The benefit of a ground heat pump is that the soil around your home tends to maintain a more consistent temperature compared to the air.
6. Less Electricity
You may be thinking that a heat pump really can’t save you money on utility costs because it still needs electricity, right? Fortunately, this is not the case. On average, a heat pump uses about half the electricity that is needed to operate a furnace.
7. Dehumidification
Heat pumps not only heat and cool your home, but they also help maintain indoor humidity levels. When the moisture in the air is minimized, you actually feel cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. This means that your heat pump will run less often and for shorter periods of time compared to a centralized furnace and air conditioner.
8. Ductless Designs
If you have an older home in Oklahoma City or an addition that is not connected to your main ductwork, you can spend a great deal of money on space heaters and fans to distribute warm and cool air. You may also run your furnace and air conditioner longer with the hope of managing the temperatures in these smaller spaces. At TS Heat & Air, we can help you find a ductless mini-split heat pump to keep these areas comfortable while reducing your overall energy consumption.
9. Geothermal Option
Geothermal heat pumps deserve some special attention when discussing energy efficiency. These units are much more energy-friendly compared to air-source units. You can save between 30% and 60% with a geothermal unit, and the equipment is extremely reliable.
Learn More About Heat Pumps
Want to learn more about heat pumps for your Oklahoma City home? Call TS Heat & Air in Bethany to speak with one of our experts. Be sure to ask about our other heating, cooling, and indoor air quality services.
