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This is a question that we get all the time and–honestly–it’s a pretty good one! If you’re not familiar with HVAC systems or heat pump technology, then it can be pretty easy to fall into misconceptions about how they work or, in this case, how they don’t work. Well, we only deal with facts on this blog, so we’re going to answer this question and a few others for homeowners who are looking to invest in a new heat pump system.
We install, maintain, and repair heat pumps in Somers, MT. That means you can trust us for all of your heat pump-related information and needs.
The truth is that a heat pump can work well in cold climates, and it can work effectively until -13 degrees Fahrenheit! While this is generally good news, there are some caveats that we’d like to cover down below.
How Heat Pumps Work in Cold Climates
Let’s first start with the worst misconception. Do heat pumps work in the cold? Absolutely!
Heat pumps work by moving heat from one location to another. Even when temperatures are cold outside, there’s still residual heat in the atmosphere that can be absorbed and moved into your home. The only difference between a cold day and a hot day is that there’s less heat in the atmosphere on the cold day.
This means that your heat pump just has to work a bit harder on a colder day than it would during a warm or mildly chilly day.
Efficiency in the Cold
This is the biggest stumbling block when it comes to being a heat pump owner. Heat pumps are incredibly efficient, but their efficiency wanes at the extremely-cold end of the temperature spectrum. If it’s below zero, for instance, your heat pump is going to have to work extra hard to heat your home, and it’s going to run into some hiccups.
This doesn’t mean that your heat pump can’t heat your home. In fact, a heat pump has a specific “recovery mode” that it uses to heat itself up so that it can keep running even in the negatives.
However, if you’re still concerned about efficiency or the effectiveness of a new heat pump, here are some solutions.
3 Heat Pump Solutions
Who says you have to just stick with a central heat pump system? Every home calls for a different solution, and here are three great solutions that can help your situation.
- Investing in a high-efficiency heat pump to do the trick. Firstly, if you’re interested in heat pump technology but worried about how it will work, we hope this blog post has put those worries to rest. A heat pump can and will heat your home properly throughout the year, so you can invest in one if you’d like.
- Consider keeping your furnace for extremely cold days. If you’ve got a great furnace but you’d like to start curbing carbon emissions and using an electric heat pump, consider keeping your furnace for those cold days when you need an extra boost!
- Think about a ductless mini split. Ductless mini splits are heat pumps that work without a centralized unit. Each mini split will heat a section of your home, so you can opt for a more customized approach.
Interested in a heat pump? Call Bill’s Superheat, Inc. to learn more. Here to Save the Day!