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The dual functionality of heat pumps
Even though the name “heat pump” might suggest that this equipment only serves for heating, it has become the better choice for both heating and cooling for tens of thousands of homeowners in Ontario.
Keeping homes comfortable for both the warmer and cooler months with a single system has helped homeowners across the country save on energy bills, thanks to the hybrid nature of the system.
How do heat pumps work?
In essence, heat pumps work by using a coolant to transfer heat between two places. While an air-source heat pump transfers heat between the air inside and outside a home, a ground-source heat pump transfers heat between the air inside a home and the ground outside, taking advantage of geothermal energy. Geothermal energy, being a rarer resource, makes the air-source heat pump the go-to choice for most situations.
Benefits of upgrading to heat pumps
There are many benefits of upgrading to a heat pump system, especially if your home’s energy system has not been touched in a while, but the two main benefits have to do with cost-savings and environmental impact.
The cost-saving benefits of using heat pumps
According to a 2022 federal government study, switching to a heat pump system cut costs by an average of 13% in the cities studied. Depending on the equipment used prior to the equipment switch, some homeowners were able to save up to $3,500 a year on their energy bills.
Changing heating systems can be a big investment which is why it makes sense to pick the equipment that will offer the lowest energy bills possible, as Alex Ferguson, research officer at CanmetENERGY in Ottawa and co-author of the study said:
“Those types of heating systems are very expensive, and in that context, choosing a heat pump is a very smart economic choice to make.”
The environmental benefits of using heat pumps
As mentioned above, heat pumps use less energy to offer the same result in terms of heating and cooling homes, but another environmental benefit is the type of coolant they use: a low-GWP (global warming potential) refrigerant. Additionally, heat pumps are powered by electricity as opposed to fossil fuels. Both these differences help release fewer chemicals into the atmosphere, making them the better choice to keep our planet healthy.
Is a heat pump the right choice for you?
Heat pumps work to heat during the cooler months, and cool during the warmer months. They reduce energy spending and have a smaller impact on global warming - but is a heat pump the right choice for your home?
