How Does a Heat Pump Work?

The heat pump is a practical and versatile invention that can be used to deliver both heating and cooling to your home. The pump is an intricate system that uses a network of coils, valves and copper tubing to draw heat from the air, ground, or water and transfer it either into or out of your home, depending on whether it is set in heating or cooling mode.

Today’s pumps circulate liquid refrigerant, which either draws heat from the air inside your home and transfers it to the outside to provide indoor cooling, or reverses the process to draw heat from the outside and transfer it inside your home to provide indoor heating.

The Heating and Cooling Cycle

Whether the pump is used for heating or cooling, the cycle begins when cold liquid refrigerant flows through an evaporator coil, which draws heat into the refrigerant from the warmer surrounding environment, evaporating the liquid refrigerant and turning it into a gas. The refrigerant then passes through a compressor, which pressurizes it and further increases its temperature. From this point, the hot gas moves into a condenser coil, where it releases its stored heat into the cooler surrounding environment. This heat release begins cooling down the refrigerant, which causes it to condense, turning back to liquid again. When the warm liquid refrigerant leaves the condenser coil, it moves through an expansion valve, which lowers its pressure and temperature, preparing the now-cold liquid to once again enter the evaporator coil and begin the heat-absorbing process all over again.

Heat Pumps Heat or Cool – They are “Reversible”

Because a heat pump is a reversible system, the direction in which the refrigerant flows depends on whether it is being used for heating or cooling. The system contains two coils: an indoor coil and an outdoor coil. Each coil can function as either an evaporator coil or a condenser coil, depending on whether the system is transferring the indoor heat to the outside of your home to cool it or drawing the outdoor heat into your home to warm it.

The Efficient, Affordable Technology

The heat pump can be an efficient way to stay comfortable year round. In moderate climates, it not only provides highly effective heating and cooling, but it can also save you money. When temperatures drop below 40 degrees F, however, you may need to supplement the system with another source of heat, since these systems become less effective and less efficient when outdoor temperatures drop too low.

Bringing Dependable Heating and Cooling to Matthews NC

At All Temp Air Conditioning and Heating, we are happy to answer your questions about this versatile heating and cooling technology. Our knowledgeable technicians can help you choose the right heat pump system for your Matthews NC home or business. We feature a full line of quality Carrier products. Today’s options for indoor comfort are many, and our goal is to make sure you find the one that’s right for you. No matter which type of HVAC solution you choose — or already own — our NATE-Certified specialists can provide complete installation, repair and maintenance services to make sure your system consistently meets your needs.