Clearing Up 5 Myths About Heat Pumps in Winston-Salem, NC
Despite their steadily growing popularity and well-established viability as home comfort systems, myths persist about heat pumps in Winston-Salem, NC. Many homeowners believe things that might lead them to underrate these powerful devices. We’re going to try to clear up five myths about heat pumps.
They’re Only for Heating
If you’re unfamiliar with heat pumps, their name might throw you off. You might think that if you install one, it’ll only be good for heating and that you’ll still need to keep a separate air conditioning system for the summer.
However, the word “heat” refers to the heat transfer process. It refers to the fact that heat pumps can take heat from the air in one area and deposit it somewhere else. Heat pumps have both heating and cooling modes, so they can function as heating systems and air conditioners.
They’re Difficult to Maintain
Regular maintenance is essential to the long-term upkeep of all HVAC systems. You might think that because heat pumps can perform double duty, it’s more complicated to maintain them. Thankfully, this isn’t the case.
With annual maintenance, your heat pump should have a service life of about 15 years. Without maintenance, its efficiency will decline faster than it would otherwise, and your energy bills may go up. Rest assured that our service technicians have the skills required to keep your system in great shape.
They’re Inefficient in Cold Weather
People are becoming more aware that heat pumps are extraordinarily efficient, but the myth persists that their efficiency tends to falter during especially cold winters because it takes more work to extract heat from cold air. Hence, they allegedly won’t be able to heat your home as well if outdoor temperatures fall well below zero.
The kernel of truth in this myth is that it’s harder to pull heat from colder air. While this may have adversely affected the efficiency of some older heat pumps, it’s no longer true of those that are now on the market. These days, heat pumps come with special strips that generate additional heat that helps out with the heat transfer process in extremely cold weather.
Gas Furnaces Are More Efficient
Heat pumps run on electricity. You may have heard that a furnace that runs on natural gas can heat more efficiently than either an electric furnace or a heat pump.
This was true for a long time, but thanks to things like the heat strip technology that we mentioned above, this is no longer the case. In mild climates, a heat pump is more efficient than a gas furnace because heat transfer is relatively easy in mild weather. In frigid weather, heat strips can close any existing efficiency gap.
Heat Pumps Are Expensive to Install
Installing a heat pump can cost anywhere from $2,500 to about $10,000, depending on the type of pump you wish to install and the size of your home. Larger systems will cost more to install than smaller ones. Air-source systems will also tend to fall closer to the lower side of the range mentioned above, while ground-source heat pumps go toward the higher side.
These can be quite substantial costs, especially when you consider the fact that installing a traditional HVAC system may cost significantly less initially. However, to get a full picture of the costs, you must think about efficiency and the long-run energy savings that it can provide. Since heat pumps are highly efficient, they can offset their high installation costs after enough time.
Our aim above has been to dispel a few misconceptions and give you a clearer picture of what heat pumps are all about. With this new information, you may begin seriously wondering whether a heat pump might be right for your home in Winston-Salem, NC. Call Johns Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc to check out our heat pump services.
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