When you decide you need a new air conditioning system for your home (and now would be a great time to do it and beat out the worst of the summer heat), you’ll have to make a few decisions. If your previous AC was a standard central system, then the easiest choice is to put in a similar type of air conditioner. You can make upgrades, such as going for a higher efficiency unit or one with a variable speed blower fan. But the new air conditioner will do the same essential job as the last one.
But … there’s another option, which is to install a heat pump. A heat pump is similar to a central AC—and takes up the same amount of space inside and outside the house—but it can switch the way it operates so it can work as a heater when necessary.
If a heat pump can do both jobs, isn’t it automatically the best choice?
Not necessarily. A heat pump offers some terrific advantages. Obviously putting heating and cooling into a single system is a great benefit, and heat pumps are ideally suited to the mild winter weathers here in Tampa Bay. (To heat a house, a heat pumps draws on outside heat and moves it indoors with refrigerant. It’s easy for a heat pump to extract the necessary heat from mildly cold weather.)
However, there are situations where a heat pump might not be the best option:
- You aren’t planning to replace your current heating system. If you have an electric or gas furnace in the HVAC cabinet that is still working well and has years ahead of it, a heat pump is redundant. It’s not worth the cost to purchase a heat pump and then only use the cooling function. It’s better to install a heat pump when you’re upgrading both your heating and cooling system together.
- It doesn’t match your budget plans: A heat pump is more expensive than an air conditioner. It’s a more complex machine so it can operate as both a heater and AC. So you may find that it’s an expense you don’t want to pay, especially if you don’t need much heating assistance. There’s nothing wrong with sticking to a standard AC in this case.
- You use gas-powered heating: If you use natural gas in your home to run your heater, we recommend staying with it. Natural gas is an excellent energy source and you should make the most use of it in your home, including for the furnace.
All your heat pump questions and concerns—answered!
We offer complete air conditioning services in Tampa, FL, including the installation of heat pumps. We’ve worked with residential HVAC system for decades, and we know all about the best ways to cool down homes in this climate. When you call us to ask about installing a heat pump or an AC, we’ll give you the answers you need the guidance you want so you’ll have the ideal home comfort.
Balanced Air, Inc. has served the Tampa Bay Area since 1988. Schedule an appointment for your home cooling.
