Heat Pump System Installation
Let’s start with an introduction to what a heat pump system is.
There are several types of heat pumps but, for simplicity reasons, we will talk about only of the one you are interested the most, the one you can install in your house.
The type of heat pump systems used on residential and light commercial applications is called air source heat pump. Throughout time, heat pump systems have become more and more efficient, even more than a gas furnace systems, especially with the evolution of residential solar systems.
This is possible because a heat pump system moves heat, rather than converting it, as a gas furnace do. This type of equipment acts as a cooling system too; in other words, you get to enjoy the benefits of a heating and cooling air conditioner in a highly efficient and environmentally friendly way.
Different types of residential heat pump systems
Split-Ducted Heat Pump System
This type of system is composed of four main parts and is by far the most common in residential applications. We offer you a brief description of these four parts
Condenser. Within a heat pump condenser, there are three main components that make it different from a straight cooling condenser.
The Reversing Valve – This part is responsible for controlling the flow of the refrigerant. In other words, when it is flowing in one direction, your system will be on cooling mode, and when it goes, the opposite direction will be on heating mode.
The Accumulator – This part is used to prevent liquid refrigerant flood-back to the compressor
The Defrost control board- As the name mention it, this part prevents the compressor from getting frozen.
Air Handler. As the name mentioned, this part controls the airflow that pushes through the ducting system. This part comes with the evaporator coil all in one piece from the manufacturer.
Ducting System. The most common material for a residential ducting system is duct-flex, which is insulated and flexible. There are two grades of insulation used in any ductwork in residential applications, R6and R8, and this will indicate the thickness of the insulation, which also indicates the efficiency rating. Designing your ducting system correctly is extremely important because it will affect the air balance throughout the building. Here in Quantum Air Conditioning we can help you design and install your air conditioning system. Give us a call and schedule your free in-home estimate.
Thermostat. This is the most common part of any system and is essential to control the room temperature. New thermostats are very efficient and offer several futures that can provide you with reports of energy usage, time for maintenance, and control the a/c system from your cell phone, among many others things. If you are installing a system 16 SEER or higher, we highly recommend using a smart thermostat to take advantage of your energy efficient system fully.
Mini Split Ductless Heat Pump System
The popularity of this type of system has been growing very rapidly in the last few years. Its compact design, high-efficiency performance, super quiet air handler, heating & cooling options, and zone control ability, have made the ductless mini split heat pump a very popular choice.
To receive an estimate on your ductless mini split system, please follow this link.
Package Unit Heat Pump
As the name mentioned this type of air conditioner offers the ability to have heating and air in one big package and do not need long refrigerant lines, because again everything is enclosed within the box. These air conditioning systems usually are on the roof and in some rare cases at floor level (at least round SoCal). These type of air conditioners are more commonly used in commercial buildings because they are relatively easy to remove, in case you need to replace them. Even though we are talking about heat pump systems, you can also find it as a gas/electric system.
Another advantage of a package unit is that it is easier to provide maintenance since everything is together in one package.
The main disadvantage of this particular system is that not everybody likes to have a big box on top of their house, but if you don’t mind that, this can be an excellent option for you.
What’s the cost of a heat pump system installation?
Heat pump air conditioning installation cost can go from $2000 to $8000. As we mentioned in other articles, several factors come in play to determine the right size of your heat pump system. To learn more about how to know what size of air conditioning system do you need for your house, please follow this link.
To simplify. The main factor in determining the size of your air conditioning system is the square footage of your house, but as you can learn in the link above, there are some other factors to consider.
How does heat pump work?
As I mentioned earlier, there three main parts that make a heat pump a heat pump, the reversing valve, the accumulator and the defrost control. Out of these three parts the reversing valve is the signature part of any heat pump system.
When it’s cold outside a heat pump takes the outside heat and transfers it inside. When it’s warm outside, it reverses directions (Here is when the reversing valve comes to action) and acts like an air conditioner, transferring heat outside your home. One advantage of a heat pump is that it moves heat, giving you more energy efficiency, as compared to a gas furnace that generates heat by burning natural gas to heat up the air.
How does a heat pump furnace work?
Well, let’s start by clarifying that a heat pump HVAC system, do not use a furnace. A heat pump air conditioner will always use an air handler, and as we mentioned earlier, the evaporator coil will always come together with the blower as one piece, creating an air handler.
To understand the difference between one and the other, a furnace comes with a heat exchanger, which is the part that allows the natural gas to get burned and creating heat this way, also needing an evaporator coil, and always comes as a separate part. If you are interested in learning more about heaters and furnaces, please follow this link.
Quantum Heating and Air Conditioning thank you for reading this article and we want to offer you a free estimate to install your heat pump system. We have high-efficiency equipment that can help you lower your electric bill every month.
