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A heat pump is a mechanically powered HVAC unit, which performs both the heating and cooling functions. It transfers heat from one space to another, which can be either inside or outside.
During the winter season, the system extracts heat energy from the cool outdoors and transfers it into your home to provide warmth. When the hot weather kicks in, it works in reverse instead, extracting heat energy from indoor air and transferring it to the outside.
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How Do Heat Pumps Work?
Heat pumps work like refrigerators. A typical system consists of an indoor unit, outdoor unit, compressor, refrigerant, and expansion valve.
The system transfers heat by pumping a liquid refrigerant through an evaporator coil or condenser coil that can be found in both the outdoor and indoor units. A compressor will pressurize this volatile fluid, which enters in a gaseous state at a lower pressure.
A pressurized working fluid (hot vapor) will exit the compressor at a higher pressure and pass through a condensing heat exchanger device, which condenses it to a moderate temperature liquid.
The condensed moderate temperature liquid refrigerant will be transferred out to a metering device (expansion valve), which helps lower its pressure and temperature. After that, it will pass through an evaporator heat exchanger, where it absorbs heat and boils. The refrigerant, in a saturated vapor form, will then move to the compressor, and the cycle starts again.
The fan located in the outdoor and indoor unit helps blow air over the coils, facilitating heat exchange in your residential or commercial building.
How Long Do Heat Pumps Last?
One of the commonly asked questions about heat pumps is, “How long do heat pumps last?” Well, the average life span of heat pumps is estimated to be around 15 years. With the several technological advancements seen in modern units, however, your system can run up to 20 years or even more.
There’s one thing you need to keep in mind, though. Regular heat pump maintenance and making necessary heat pump repairs should be a top consideration if you want to get the most of your equipment. Other things at play include the type of model and manufacturer, location, as well as how often the system is used.
Are Heat Pumps Efficient?
One of the benefits of heat pumps is that they are more energy-efficient when compared to most furnaces and air conditioners. Air source heat pumps, which are the most preferred units, can reduce your electricity consumption by approximately 30%-50%. Water-source or ground-source systems, on the other hand, can achieve higher efficiencies, reducing your energy consumption by 30%-60%.
How Much Do Heat Pumps Cost?
With this type of unit, you can expect to pay anywhere from $4,500 to $8,000. This, of course, includes the installation costs. The capacity of heat pumps often ranges between 1 and 5 tons. The cost of a 5-ton unit designed with high-end features can cost more than $10,000.
Geothermal units come in 2 to 6-ton capacities, and the average cost per ton ranges from $1,500 to $2500. Most homeowners spend between $3,422 and $12, 692. However, the total installation costs can be more than $20,000 in some cases.
Although ground source heat pumps cost more to install, they’re a worthwhile investment because of the low operating costs.
On average, the price of mini-split systems ranges from $1,300 to $13,000. For basic single-zone units, expect to fork out between $700 and $2,200. The amount you pay for labor varies, but it should be around $500 to $2,500.
Those opting for solar heat pumps should expect to pay between $17,500 and $39,000. What makes up most of this cost is the solar panel installation, which can be between $15,000 and $30,000.
