Is Your Home a Good Candidate for an Air Heat Pump?

Is an air heat pump a smart addition to your home? It can save money and energy, but you want to make sure it can be installed properly. Learn how.

Air heating systems are vital to everyday living. If you live in a cold to temperate area, you need to have the right heating in your home.

Improving your home heating is a never-ending quest that needs care and attention. If you can improve it with newer technology, you can get a more efficient system that costs less.

Among the newer heating systems out there is the air heat pump. Not only can it save money but energy as well. Even then, you need to make sure your home is suitable for it.

How do you know your home can accommodate a central heating pump? What do you need to install this system?

In this guide, we give you everything you need to know about air heating system.  Here’s what you need.

What is an Air Heating System?

Before we go into the details of the right property suitable for a central heating pump, we need to first understand what an air source heating pump is.

An air-source heat pump is a type of central heat pump. It works like air conditioning or refrigerators. Traditional heat systems use hot water to dissipate heat through radiators.

Heat pumps do it differently.

An air heating system takes in cold air and changes it to warm air. Much like a central AC, the heating unit connects outside of the vicinity it will heat up. This will likely go in an area out of view due to its lumbering size and unwieldiness.

What are the Benefits of a Central Heating Pump?

What are the benefits of a central heating pump? First, they can save you both energy and money.

Instead of using coal or electric type boilers, you’re converting air straight up. This saves you money on creating indirect heat and applies it straight up. An air heating system is also low maintenance.

Since this works like air conditioning, it needs the same level of maintenance. You don’t need to remove any type of fossil fuel or do any preventive work. All you have to do is use it and do system maintenance once a month.

A central heating pump will also emit far fewer carbon emissions due to it using fewer fossil fuels.

What Type of Household is Best For A Central Heating Pump?

What’s the best type of household to use this type of heating?

You want to first understand that the heat produced by a central heating pump is not as high as boilers. The typical air heating system can produce up to 35 to 45 Celsius (95 to 113 Fahrenheit). This information makes your property’s specifications crucial to making this system work.

You need to incorporate it with homes that can accommodate underfloor heating systems. This means new homes can take advantage of this type of heat system. Any space that can handle a compact system should work as long as some factors go into consideration.

Your home would also need strong insulation to prevent any of the heat from filtering out. Proper insulation can make a difference when it comes to the cost and efficiency of an air heat pump.

Any home that follows the right energy efficiency standards is the best candidate for an air heating system.

Factors to Consider Before Adding an Air Source Heating System

What are the factors to consider before adding an air heating system to your home? The primary areas of concern are:

• The local temperature and climate
• Cost to value ratio
• Type of property
• Current HVAC systems

All these will factor in knowing how good your home is as a candidate for a central heating pump.

Local Temperature and Climate

Any air source heat pump can operate in any temperature, including freezing and sub-zero climates. Even then, their actual efficiency changes with the temperature of the air they convert. As air heating pumps convert air, they still need a level of heat to convert.

At extreme, low temperatures, this level of cold air can be a problem. It can negate whatever changes the air pump can do for your home. You want to make sure your central heating pump can handle operations under freezing temperature.

Cost-to-Value Ratio

An air heating system’s cost varies depending on a few factors. The primary of these factors includes how much space it will service and the type of unit you’re installing. These systems cost less because of their superb efficiency and lower long term costs.

Even then, you need to provide a high upfront cost, so you would want to explore financing options. Depending on the insulation of your home, its energy efficiency, and property size, you might need more units. A typical home would need between 3 to 5 units to heat the entire space.

Type of Property

As we said, homes with strong insulation and energy-efficiency can take advantage of air heating pumps. If you have an older home that dissipates its indoor climate or lacks energy efficiency, an energy audit is your best choice.

You want to consider adding extra insulation to the crucial parts of your home. This includes your drywall and attic, especially if you’re managing multiple thermostats in different zones. Consider adding some weatherstripping in your windows and doors too if possible.

If you have parts of your home that experience extreme cold, you will also want to heat these areas instead. Isolated pockets of your home like bedrooms are great candidates for a central heating pump.

Current HVAC Systems

Any existing heating or cooling systems in your home can impact the value of an air heating system. An air system pump can be a better alternative than many oil or propane-powered heaters. If your home heating system is almost 20 years old, this is a better choice too.

If you have an older system that needs replacement, this is the best time to replace it with a central heating pump.

Why You Need an Air Heat Pump

An air heat pump is an efficient way to heat your home. Not all homes are suitable to install it, however. If you have a home with good insulation or an existing duct-work, this is the best choice for you.

If you’re looking for more tips on how to improve your home heating or air conditioning, check out our other guides. We have different tips and tricks that can help optimize your home for a better indoor climate.