Heat pumps are popular pieces of equipment among both builders and homeowners.  They are easy to install and get running, which makes them appealing to builders, and they are also highly energy efficient, an attribute that homeowners appreciate.  Nonetheless, heat pumps are certainly not simple machines.  As a matter of fact, when compared to other household appliances, a heat pump is likely the most complicated among them.  Tune-ups are certainly not do-it-yourself projects, which is why you need to hire a professional for expert service.

The reason why heat pumps are so complicated is because they are essentially two machines in one.  An air conditioner has a certain arrangement of coils that allow it to cool a home, but since a heat pump can both cool and heat your home, it needs to be built differently to make this possible.

What makes heat pumps so energy efficient?  Unlike other machines used for heating your home, a heat pump transfers heat instead of generating it from a fuel source.  This allows it to generate more heat than the amount of power it consumes in creating it.  There are certain things that can make one heat pump more efficient than another as well.  These include features such as larger coil surface areas, the presence of an expansion valve, and variable-speed fans.

Some heat pumps are smarter than others, too.  For example, when the temperature drops below freezing, ice can begin to form on the unit.  This is natural, and some units are built to combat this by sending some heat back outside to melt the ice.  These and other “smart” features make it all the more necessary to require professional service from a trained technician.

If you’re interested in learning more about heat pumps, or you have a heat pump and it requires service, contact Bradley Mechanicalin Richmond.

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, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Bradley Mechanical services Richmond, Chesterfield, Glenn Allen, Petersburg, Hopewell, Colonial Heights and surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!

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