Homeowners concerned about high energy costs should consider the value of adding a heat pump to their home. Air-source heat pumps use heat energy that exists in the air, and then moves it around. Namely, they send heat out of your home during the summer to cool the space, and they send heat found in the outdoor air into your home to heat the space.

Here are the main advantages of using a heat pump to avoid high energy costs:

• They use less energy. Compared to a gas-powered furnace, of which the highest-efficiency system can use 98 percent of the fuel consumed to heat the air, heat pumps generally operate well above 100 percent efficiency.
• They are a two-in-one system. A heat pump is a convenient two-in-one heating and cooling system, so by investing in one piece of equipment, you’ll gain an air conditioner and a heater with one purchase. Heat pumps are just as, and sometimes more, efficient than standard A/C systems, depending on the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) rating that you choose.
• They achieve high heating efficiency above the majority of the season. Heat pumps utilize a pre-set balance point, or a temperature above which they will operate efficiently. This set point generally hovers around 30 degrees. Because the greater Asheville area experiences a majority of seasonal and daily temperatures above this set point, you’ll be able to rely on your heat pump for most of the heating season.
• They can work with your existing furnace. Air-source heat pumps rely on a back-up heating element that will take over once temperatures drop below the balance point. This system, however, consumes quite a bit of energy. For our regional climate, you should consider whether it’s best to use a heat pump in combination with an efficient back-up furnace to cycle on when temperatures become extreme.

For more information about using a heat pump to combat high energy costs, contact Smoky Mountain Heating & Air today. We proudly serve homeowners in and around the greater Asheville area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Asheville, North Carolina and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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