fbpx

What Is a Heat Pump Exactly?

By: Brian Schutt  |  May 28, 2010

If you’re a homeowner and you’re anything like me, you have no clue what a heat pump is.  You might think something called a heat pump solely pumps heat.  If you think that, you’d be wrong.  Homesense’s Operations Manager, Jesse Cross, explains:

A Heat Pump looks exactly like an outdoor A/C condenser. The difference is that both the heating and cooling take place inside the Heat Pump. This is different than a split system where the cooling takes place in the outside condenser and the heating takes place in the indoor furnace. The most efficient system is a heat pump with a indoor gas furnace, but this is also the most expensive. In Indiana, most homes have a split system (A/C and indoor Gas Furnace).

The issue with some homes is that the electrical power is insufficient.  A Heat Pump is all electric and does not require gas. Many smaller homes electrical panels are only 100AMP and need to be upgraded to 200AMP to safely accomodate a Heat Pump.”

So as you undertake what promises to be a balmy Indiana summer, you may have to make the decision – air conditioning condenser or heat pump?  So hopefully now you won’t be thinking, “why on earth would these people be asking me if I want a heat pump in July?”

HVAC Service Areas: