One of the most suitable types of HVAC appliances for this region is the air-source heat pump (ASHP). It combines a cooling and heating function, and operates with high efficiency in both modes. It works by moving heat rather than creating it. In the summer, it takes it outside and in the winter, it extracts it from the outdoor air.
ASPHs have been the conditioning appliance of choice in southern climates for decades because they offer simplicity and safety. They eliminate the need for a combustion furnace and if your home only uses gas for heating, an ASPH can eliminate the need to have a gas hookup.
In a climate such as ours, the cooling function of the heat pump provides more than adequate comfort, but it could run into some challenges in the winter when temperatures drop into the low 30s or less. Since heat pumps move heat instead of creating it, when there’s less heat in the air, it has less to work with.
As a consequence, when air-source heat pumps sense inadequate heat outdoors, they turn on a supplemental heating coil to make up the difference. The heating element takes considerably more electricity than the heat pump.
One of the energy efficiency ratings a heat pump has is the coefficient of performance (COP), which is between three and four for the pump. The heating coil has a COP equal to one, which means that it creates one watt of heat for each watt of electricity it uses.
It’s possible to avoid having the heating coil turn on by taking steps to make your home as energy efficient as possible and by keeping the indoor and outdoor coils clean. Another alternative is to install an intelligent recovery thermostat for the ASHP that automatically adjusts the pump’s operation based on its ability to keep up with the heating requirements indoors.
If you’re considering air-source heat pumps, give the experts at James Lane Air Conditioning & Plumbing Co. a call. We’ve provided HVAC services for the Wichita Falls, Vernon, Burkburnett, Iowa Park, Olney and Graham areas since 1957.
