Rating the heat pump for your home.

As a homeowner ready to replace your heat pump, you’ve been reading a lot about the topic. Still, you haven’t seen the light ‘go on’ in understanding how this equipment works.

One way, is to think of the heat pump as having almost the same, compressor-driven features as your refrigerator—except the process works in reverse: a heat pump is going to put air back into your home from the outside….and vice-versa.

Matching the right ‘pump’ to your space.

The first thing to do is ask your HVAC pro to run the calculations (SEER ratings!) to determine the system’s cooling efficiency.

Generally, the EnergyGuide labeling on the heat pump will have this number.

What does it mean?

Simply put, SEER stands for ‘seasonal energy efficiency ratio.” That’s a mouthful, for sure, but you want to purchase a unit that has a minimum rating of “13” to maintain operational efficiency—cheaper to operate!

In this example, the heat pump is bound to provide the same level of cooling, say, then an older-type air conditioning system rated at SEER=6.

Other factors to consider…

The unit’s operating efficiency may also be affected by its location. In some cases, building a fence–or planting shrubs—upwind of the unit’s coils can help keep block the wind from the unit’s coils.

According to a post on U.S.News, the “ideal balance” for your residence depends on locale:

“As you might guess, higher-SEER models are also more expensive. The ideal balance for your home will depend on where you live and how often you use air conditioning.”

Air-conditioning use in, say, Minneapolis may not make much sense for just occasional use, but a high-SEER may be well suited for living Arizona.

If you’d like more information on how to correctly size a heat pump for your home, or to schedule an annual maintenance checkup, contact us.