If you’ve heard any word about heat pumps—beyond the basics of how they work—it may be a warning they don’t work ideally in all climates, causing them to struggle with energy efficiency in extreme weather conditions. This often holds back homeowners from choosing a heat pump for a new HVAC installation when they’re ready to change out their old AC and furnace.
It’s not a myth that heat pumps can run into efficiency troubles in certain climates. But the certain climate you’re worried about is our climate here in the Tampa Bay Area. What’s the word on heat pumps ‘round about these parts?
The Word on Heat Pumps Is Good!
Heat pumps are excellent options for the Florida climate. You might even believe the invention of heat pumps was done specifically to deal with the hot summers and cool winters of the Sunshine State.
Heat pumps work similarly to air conditioners: they use the evaporation and condensation of refrigerant to move heat from one location to another (heat exchange). ACs can only move heat one direction—out of a house—while heat pumps can switch between modes so they also move heat inside a house. The problem heat pumps can have with extreme weather conditions occur when the outdoor temperatures drop below freezing. The less heat energy available in the outside air, the harder time heat pumps have absorbing enough heat to move indoors.
Florida, however, doesn’t have to worry about temperatures falling below freezing in the winter—or any time. Our coldest January night still has plenty of heat outdoors to make the work of heat pumps easy. In fact, heat pumps use less electricity to warm a home than an electric furnace. This means heat pumps are not only effective in the Florida climate, they’re superior to most residential heating systems. If you currently have a combination air conditioner/electric furnace to deliver comfort around the year to your family, a heat pump is one of the best options for overhauling and improving the HVAC system this fall.
What About Cooling Mode? Can Heat Pumps Hack the Florida Heat?
Yes … provided they have professional installations. Heat pumps don’t sacrifice any of their cooling power because they can also operate as heaters. An individual heat pump has the same cooling capacity as an air conditioner the same size. As long as a professional handled sizing the heat pump to match a home’s cooling load when the system was installed, it will match AC performance. (Never allow an amateur to install a heat pump—or any other comfort system—because you may end up with an oversized or undersized system. Both mean trouble for comfort and energy use.)
We Install Heat Pumps and More
Whether you’re looking for a heat pump installation or AC repair in Wesley Chapel, FL, you can place your trust in our technicians to handle the work. We offer 24-hour emergency service when you need it, and our team is happy to help you make the best choices for home comfort.
