Heat pumps are becoming more and more popular and more and more people are choosing them over oil or gas heating systems. Although they require higher installation costs than conventional fossil fuel heating systems, heat pumps offer an energy efficient way to heat your home. They are also a more environmentally friendly solution.
Heat pumps are electrical devices that extract heat stored in the air or the ground and transfer it to your home. Heat pump technology may seem new and complex, but it is actually very simple.
A heat pump works exactly like a refrigerator, but in reverse. The system consists of a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser. Heat pumps prioritize hot water so you have hot water on demand. This is one of the big advantages of heat pumps over conventional fossil fuel heating systems.
One of them is a monoblock, in which the whole set is in an external unit that is connected to a standard water heater inside the house. Another system is a split system with indoor and outdoor units. The indoor unit, about the same size as an American refrigerator-freezer, has a super-insulated hot water storage tank. Air-to-water heat pumps are currently the most popular systems in Ireland.
The reason for their popularity is the ease of installation. I asked my father to fix it for me he tested the unit and told me the relay was broken. My father was hard pressed to convince one of these businesses to sell him the part! They just want to charge u up the.. In the past he even had to convince one company to sell him the gauges to check the Freon levels in his old Keep Rite AC that ended up being replaced due to a leak that could never be fixed.
You need to have a license to buy the parts here and well we found someone who was willing to sell them back to us. Its not for the average person but my father has experience in many fields. The appliance part supply house down the street sells to pros and joes alike. I replaced my own relay with one from there. It took longer to research the fix online than it did to actually do it. Of the 4 suppliers local to me, none of them will even sell simple parts like contactors or capacitors, mentioned in the earlier troubleshooting article to a non-licensed HVAC technician.
At least two of these are because they are not located in a region zoned retail — like an industrial park or so they claim. I have an electric heat pump pool heater, which is essentially an air conditioner in reverse compresses heat from ambient air and exchanges it with cooler pool water. There is plenty of value in them. First off, it explains the high cost of materials, labor, and specialized equipment when you see all that is involved.
Second, you really get to the essence of what to expect when a pro tackles your job. Finally, it can help you understand some of the proper techniques so if you see something that does not look right, you can stop them and ask questions. One is the TXV sensing bulb location — my understanding is that it should be mounted, via a copper strap with brass screws to the suction line on a horizontal run best or vertical line ok outside the plenum then insulated. The line shown here was installed at a slant, making proper placement difficult.
The last picture in the follow was prior to the final insulation, so it may have been added later. I can provide links to discussions on this topic. Secondly, the follow states that brazing is done. This is important to distinguish from soldering — heck an entire article can be written on proper brazing techniques. If at all possible use a single run of tubing to minimize joints. When pulling the old lines, the original install had elbows soldered not brazed at all corners.
Strangely, the connections at the compressor and evaporator were properly brazed. The new line set was done as a single run, with the installer using a hand bender to form it the entire way, thus only requiring 4 joints.
My installer states that the resin from the soldered elbows may have contributed to an early burn out. Obviously, this was a check not made and the homeowner had to foot the rather outrageous bill. The extra minutes of the installers time to assist you with documenting them is insurance for them as much as it is for you. As a hint, using an infrared or any other non-contact thermometer is NOT the right way to do these tests.
That said, my home inspector when I was buying the place did a quick test with one and that got me a free new reversing valve and filter ultimately it lasted 4 more years after that service. I love looking at the pictures of the pro-follows! I see that some of your pictures show the need for periodic cleaning and maintenance.
Some questions. When the HVAC guy wants to add a new starting capacitor where none existed before, is it a worthwhile purchase? Why is it that no one sells a set of pressure-temperature-voltage-flow gages that can be permanently installed in these systems to allow us to monitor their performance? And is it really worthwhile to reuse the high pressure lines — microscopic corrosion is not an issue? While I agree with the other posters that this is too much for a DIY homeowner, I enjoyed the article.
Geothermal or ground-source heat pumps supply heat, cool, and hot water by transferring heat to or from the ground. An absorption heat pump is an air-source heat pump powered by geothermal or solar-heated water rather than electricity.
A new furnace may require installing expensive gas lines, which makes a heat pump the cheaper option. In northern climates, heat pumps may require a furnace for backup heating. Still have questions? Ask a heat pump pro.
View Pros Return to Top. Get free estimates. How much will your heat pump cost? Reviewed and approved on July 19, , by Tom Grupa and 9 expert heat pump installers on HomeGuide. Uses electricity and doesn't produce carbon monoxide. Doesn't require gas lines or ductwork. Best suited for modern climates in the Northeast and Midwest regions. Table of Contents [hide] [show]. Get free estimates from heat pump installers near you.
View Pros. Compare quotes from local heat pump installers. Heat pump installers near you are ready to help.
Need help choosing the right brand? Upgrade to a heat pump today. Local pros are ready to help. Thomson, James A. PDF file. PDF File. Millions of people ask HomeGuide for cost estimates every year. We track the estimates they get from local companies, then we share those prices with you. Related Articles. Heat Pump Installtion.
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