Heat Pumps

Tips from Real-Estate-Agents.com

Here's some additional information about heat pumps.

The process is a bit technical, but here's a brief look at how they work:

The most common type of heat pump is an "air-source" system. "Split" air-source systems have an outdoor unit which includes a refrigerant-filled tubing to an indoor omponent. The indoor unit contains a fan, indoor coil and a supplemental resistance heating element. "Package" systems combine both components in a single unit that's typically placed on the roof.

Depending on whether the heat pump is in a cooling or heating mode, the refrigerant moving through the system makes the indoor coils either hot or cold. A blower draws room air in through a filter and pulls it across the indoor coil. An optional electric-resistance heating element can kick on when needed to supplement heat. As the air passes by the coils, it either gathers or gives off heat -- depending on whether the coils are hot or cold. Warm or cool air travels through ductwork and registers into your rooms. Ground-source and water-source heat pumps: Not all heat pumps extract heat from the air. Ground-source and ground-water source heat pumps circulate water mixed with antifreeze through a system of buried tubing to gather heat from the earth or ground water, which is much more consistent in temperature than air. Below-ground temperatures are normally warmer than outside air in the winter and cooler than the air in summer.

The ground-source system employs a closed loop of tubing that is buried below the frost line; the water-antifreeze mixture circulates through the tubing, gathering heat from the earth. A ground-water system typically involves pumping water from one well, transferring its heat to your house, then returning the water to another well.

-- Tips courtesy of Service Magic