How Does a Heat Pump Work?

A heat pump is a clean, reliable and impressively efficient option for all your climate control needs. With innovative technology and all-season comfort, it might just be the ideal choice for your Charleston, SC, home.

Can a Heat Pump Keep You Cool?

A quality air conditioner cools your home by blowing warm air across an indoor evaporator coil filled with cold liquid refrigerant. This refrigerant absorbs heat energy from the air, becoming vaporized in the process. When the vaporized refrigerant reaches the outdoor condenser coil, it releases the heat energy and condenses back into a liquid. In other words, air conditioners simply pull heat from your home and transport it outdoors. When you need cooling, heat pumps work in exactly the same way.

How Heat Pumps Deliver High-Efficiency Heating

Of course, what makes heat pumps special is their ability to provide both cooling and heating. The key to this versatility is a humble component called a reversing valve, which allows heat pumps to operate in reverse. When set to heating mode, heat pumps essentially switch the functions of the indoor and outdoor coils. The outdoor coil becomes the evaporator coil, which uses liquid refrigerant to absorb ambient heat energy from the environment. This heat energy is then pumped indoors, concentrated and distributed throughout your home.

Comfort and Protection at Any Temperature

Since they rely on the heat energy in the environment, homeowners often worry heat pumps won’t work in cold weather. While heating efficiency does decrease as temperatures fall, many new systems perform well in all but the most extreme conditions. In fact, high-quality heat pumps can often effectively absorb and concentrate heat energy even when temperatures reach freezing. When freeing weather arrives, heat pumps are able to utilize an internal heat strip to produce the heat needed to keep your home comfortable providing peace of mind.

If you need an HVAC system in the Charleston area, you’ll love the efficiency and all-in-one comfort of a heat pump. To find the perfect fit for your family, call M & B Heating and Air today for unbeatable heat pump services.