A heat pump isn’t just used to keep your home warm in the winter. In Alabama’s humid subtropical climate, it’s important to have an efficient cooling system during the warmer spring, summer and early fall months. A heat pump is often preferred to individual heating and cooling systems because it transfers heat instead of creating it from fuel the way a furnace does. They work by drawing heat out of the air or the ground and releasing it inside the home. By reversing this process, they can also be used to cool your space. Upgrading your heating and cooling system can help you save energy. This means lower utility bills and a more comfortable home.
Get the right type of pump for your space
An air-source pump removes the heat from your indoor space and transfers it outdoors. In the cooler months, the heat from the outdoor air is transferred to your indoor space. When it’s extremely hot outside, air-source pumps may use more energy, but during the mild winters, they can be very effective.
A ductless mini-split system is an ideal system for additions, sun rooms or new construction. Because they don’t require ducts, they take up less space, and the installation is cost effective.
Geothermal pumps use the heat from the ground to warm and cool your space. More energy efficient than an air-source pump, the cost of running a geothermal pump can offset the installation costs. Geothermal pumps are also hardy and long-lasting.
What features should a new pump have?
When upgrading to a new system, there are several features to consider. The heating season performance factor, or HSPF, tells you how efficiently the pump will heat your home, in numbers that range from 6.5 to 11. The seasonal energy efficiency rating, or SEER, tells you how efficiently the pump will cool your space, with numbers up to 24. The higher the ratings, the more efficient the pump. AC by Luquire sells the Infinity 21 Central Air Conditioner, a consumer Best Buy® winner with a SEER rating of up to 21.
The air blower pushes the cooled or heated air through your space. Many standard efficiency units and older pumps have blowers with two speeds. These blowers are either running or they are off. While running, they may make the space too cold or too warm. When they are off, the temperature may quickly change to the other extreme. Variable-speed blowers provide a more balanced, consistent temperature.
Because the climate in Alabama is mild much of the year, you don’t need a full refrigerant flow in your heat pump most of the time. A thermostatic expansion valve adjusts the flow of refrigerant based on the outside temperature, delivering only as much as necessary to heat or cool the home.
AC by Luquire offers air conditioning installation services that make it easy to upgrade your heating and cooling system. Upgrading your system can make sure you spend your money on the things you love, like your next vacation, not your utility bills.
