How Do Heat Pumps Work in Midlothian, VA?

Heat pumps are some of the most efficient HVAC systems available. Although some people may say they are not as good as other systems during extremely cold periods, they still provide enough warmth to keep you comfortable in Midlothian, VA. If you have bought one or are planning to, here’s a quick summary of how they work.

Components of a Heat Pump

A heat pump’s critical components include the outdoor unit, indoor unit, refrigerant lines, and thermostat (control unit). The outdoor unit houses the fan, coil and compressor.

The indoor unit, known as the air handler, contains another coil and a blower fan. The refrigerant lines connect the two units and carry a vital but potentially dangerous compound known as the refrigerant.

How the Heating or Cooling Process Works

When your indoor air is cold, and you want to warm it, you’ll key in the temperature you want in your thermostat. The thermostat will then signal the heat pump to start up. Immediately, the refrigerant inside the outdoor unit absorbs heat from the outside air, becoming a gas in the process.

The same thing occurs when you want cool air, except that your system reverses the flow of the refrigerant, making it absorb heat from indoors and release it outside. It does this by using its reversing valve.

What the Compressor, Refrigerant, and Fans Do

The compressor then increases the temperature of this gas by squeezing it into a smaller space, making it hotter. This extremely hot gas then goes through the refrigerant lines into the indoor unit, where it passes through the indoor unit coil. The indoor unit blows the cold air from your living space over this coil, absorbing heat from the hot gas and raising its temperature.

The heat pump fans then blow this heated air back into your space. The refrigerant, now in a cooler liquid state after sending heat out to the air, goes back to the outdoor unit to repeat the process until your room temperature matches what’s on the thermostat.

In summary, heat pumps work by transferring heat from one place to another. They are efficient because they don’t have to generate heat; they simply move it. If this is something you’d like to consider, contact our team at Classic Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning to learn more about our heat pump installation services.