Don’t let the name fool you. A heat pump, when matched with an air handler, is an excellent alternative for both heating and cooling your home. Just think of a heat pump as a heat transporter, extracting warm air from your home during the summer, and reversing operation to bring warm air in during the winter. Though it may be difficult to believe that there’s enough warmth in outdoor air during the winter to heat your home, there is actually enough heat energy present in 32 degrees Fahrenheit air to keep you warm and toasty inside. However, in colder climates, a supplemental heat source may be required.
A heat pump is installed outside the home, similar to a central air conditioning unit. The unit’s compressor circulates refrigerant between it and the indoor air handler, absorbing or releasing heat en route, depending on the season. It does not burn fuel to produce heat; rather, it just uses electricity to move heat into or out of your home. As a result, heat pumps boast less fuel consumption during cooler seasons when compared to gas furnaces. Its matched air handler resides inside the home, contains a coil and a blower fan, and serves to circulate conditioned air throughout your home.
A year-round home comfort solution, a heat pump and air handler system is particularly effective in moderate to warmer regions of the country, and does a fine job of maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures and humidity levels. It also offers the air filtration benefits inherent to forced-air systems, because air is pulled through an air filter. This removes airborne particles and results in cleaner, filtered air being redistributed to your home through air supply ductwork.