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Heat pump systems are very common in Arizona. In a gas split system, a furnace in the interior of the home supplies the heating power during winter months and an outdoor condenser (in conjunction with an indoor coil mounted on top of the furnace) supplies the cooling power during summer months. The blower motor in the furnace is actually used for moving air throughout the home when the system is both heating and cooling. In a heat pump split system, the outdoor condenser is replaced with a heat pump, which looks nearly identical to an air conditioning condenser. However, a heat pump can operate in cooling mode similar to a typical air conditioning condenser, BUT can also operate in reverse, taking the heat in the outside air and “pumping” it into the home for heating operation. Hence the term “heat pump.” Heat pumps are great at heating homes in milder climates, but in very cold climates (generally when temperatures are below 30 degrees Fahrenheit for extended periods), heat pumps have a difficult time heating the home. Given the mild temperatures of Arizona, heat pumps are well suited to the climate. In the interior of the home, since a furnace is not needed, a heat pump is paired with an “air handler,” which is basically an indoor evaporator coil paired with a blower motor. While this term may seem fancy, it’s just a typical furnace and coil combination without the heating components. The benefits of heat pumps are:
For customers looking to replace their current air conditioning system, a heat pump is most advantageous in the following situations:
After your investment in a heat pump, the maintenance on your system is similar to a split gas system. However, heat pumps are more complicated in many ways than split gas systems so that twice annual maintenance is more important. These maintenance visits are even more important if you choose a high-efficiency system. Semper Fi Heating & Cooling has a deep bench of service technicians and installers who can both install and maintain your heat pump system no matter where you are in the life cycle of your current system – whether you are simply looking to ensure that your existing system is properly maintained or looking to replace or upgrade your existing system. If you recently relocated from a colder climate with a split gas system, there are a few differences you may notice if you now have a heat pump system:
At Semper Fi Heating & Cooling, we are well versed in all residential heating and cooling applications and stand ready to serve you no matter what type of home comfort system you may have or what upgrades you are interested in.