Many homeowners are looking for ways to make their homes more energy efficient in order to save money and help the environment. If it’s time to replace your HVAC system, and you’re wondering what to do with that hefty income tax refund, one way to maximize your energy efficiency and savings is to invest in a heat pump.
Heat pumps are a single system that both heat and cool your home. Unlike conventional furnaces that use natural gas or oil to create heat, the most common variety, an air-source heat pump, moves heat into and out of your home, depending in the season. When in cooling mode, it works similarly to an air conditioner, providing the same sort of efficiency and dehumidification. Overall, a heat pump requires far less energy than a regular furnace-A/C set-up, which in turn lowers utility costs.
Moving heat rather than generating it allows heat pumps to provide more energy than they actually consume. With a properly maintained heat pump, this can drop the amount of electricity you use to heat your house by as much as 40 percent over time.
Heat pumps are usually recommended for moderate climates due to their drop in efficiency in extremely low temperatures. However, that doesn’t mean that people who live in places with cold winters can’t enjoy the benefits of a heat pump. By using both a heat pump and a secondary source of heat, a so-called dual-fuel system, homeowners can benefit from the reduced heating costs of a heat pump during the day and on more temperate nights. When the temperature drops, the thermostat will automatically shift over to the secondary heat source to keep the house warm. During the warm seasons, the heat pump will continue to save money by cooling the house more efficiently than an air conditioning system.
And not to add politics to the discussion, but if the winters continue to get warmer and warmer as they have in recent years (including this winter), heat pumps will make even more sense in the Northeast.
For more information about heat pumps and other HVAC issues, contact Glasco Heating & Air Conditioning. We’re proud to have served the Greater Hartford area since 1994.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat pumps and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
Glasco Heating & Air Conditioning services South Windsor, Connecticut and the surrounding areas.
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