Heat pumps are a popular choice for providing heating and cooling in the Branson, Missouri, area. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heat pumps offer superior energy efficiency and can cut your cooling and heating costs to a significant degree. Understanding how these heat pump installations work will help you to make the most practical choices for your Branson home this year.
Three Types of Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are available in three basic configurations:
- Air-source heat pump installations are the most popular choice and use outside air as the medium for heat exchange.
- Water-source heat pumps require a large pool of water to serve as the medium for exchanging heat between the coils of the heat pump and the lake or pond.
- Geothermal heat pumps use long loops of coils buried a few inches under the ground to use the earth itself as the heat exchange medium.
Each of these types of heat pumps work in basically the same way to produce cool air for your home in the summer and to warm your indoor spaces during the winter months.
How Heat Pumps Work
Heat pumps consist of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, which work together to create heating or cooling for your Branson home.
- During cooling, the outdoor unit works by pumping liquid refrigerant through the indoor coil, where it absorbs heat energy from the air that passes over it. This process causes the refrigerant to heat up and to become a gas, which is then compressed and sent to the outdoor unit. The fan in the outdoor unit blows across the coils containing the refrigerant in the outdoor unit, restoring its initial liquid state and allowing much of the heat to dissipate into the outdoor air. The liquid refrigerant is then allowed to expand, which reduces its temperature. It is then returned to the indoor coil to begin the process once more.
- The heating process works in the same way as cooling. The flow of refrigerant is simply reversed to release cold air outside and to warm up the air flowing over the coils in your indoor unit.
At Branson HVAC, we work to provide the most practical heat pump services for you and your family. We are committed to the highest standards of quality and the most affordable options for all your current and future HVAC repair, maintenance and replacement needs. To learn more about our heat pump services, give us a call today. We look forward to the chance to serve you.
