Heat Pumps Service in Clarksville, IN, Jeffersonville, IN, Louisville, KY and the Metro Region
A heat pump is a condenser with a reversing valve, which means that it can run backwards. In the cooling season a heat pump operates exactly like a condenser (an air conditioner), in heating season it runs backwards, transferring the heat from outside into the house. As unbelievable as it sounds, a heat pump can transfer heat from outside even when it is below freezing, and do it more efficiently than even a high efficiency gas furnace. All heat pump systems have a back-up heat source in case the outdoor unit needs assistance maintaining the desired temperature inside.
A traditional heat pump system uses an electric furnace for the back-up heat. This has always been a bit of an irony because it pairs the most efficient primary heat source with the least efficient back-up heat source. However, when there is no alternate fuel available, this is the only option for an all-electric house. A far better option exists when there is a gas source and we can put a 95% efficient furnace in for the back-up heat. This creates what is called a dual fuel or a hybrid system. This is really the best choice for the vast majority of homeowners for a variety of reasons, the most important being that it is a very affordable, extremely efficient system.
