Heat pumps are gaining popularity among homeowners for their energy efficiency and year-round comfort. Unlike traditional systems that rely solely on burning fuel or using electric resistance to generate heat, heat pumps work by transferring heat from one place to another. What makes them truly unique is their ability to both heat and cool your home. But how does a heat pump manage to keep your home warm even in the chilly winter months? It’s all about harnessing heat from the outdoor air—even when it feels freezing outside—and efficiently transferring it indoors to keep you cozy. Here is an explanation regarding how a heat pump can successfully heat your home this winter season.

The Components of a Heat Pump

Before we dive into how a heat pump operates, it's advantageous to first understand what its main components are. They can be broken down into three main sections, which include an indoor air handler unit, refrigerant lines, and an outdoor condenser unit. The indoor air handler unit has a blower fan assembly alongside an evaporator coil with a drain pan for excess condensation. Refrigerant lines are made of copper and have refrigerant flowing through them to connect the indoor air handler unit to the outdoor condenser unit. The outdoor condenser unit houses another blower fan assembly as well as an evaporator coil. It also has a compressor pump that's responsible for pumping refrigerant throughout the entire heat pump system.

The Different Types of Heat Pumps

As its name suggests, a heat pump will pump heat from one area to another. It's important to make a clear distinction that unlike other types of heating systems, like a furnace, a heat pump does not create heat by burning fuel. Where a heat pump extracts heat from will be dependent on the type of system it is. There are two main types of heat pumps that you can choose from: air-source and ground-source. Air-source heat pumps will extract heat from the air, while ground-source heat pumps will extract heat from the soil. Most homeowners will invest in an air-source heat pump over a ground-source one, also known as a geothermal heat pump.

How Does a Heat Pump Heat?

To better understand how a heat pump operates, we're going to take a look at the specific process that happens to provide heat for your home in the wintertime. The whole process starts at your outdoor condenser unit where air is pulled in and passed over the condenser coil. Heat pumps rely on the physical property of heat wanting to transfer to the lowest pressure substance it can find. As the high-pressure warm air from outside passes over the condenser coil, its heat naturally moves to the low-pressure refrigerant flowing through the coil. The added heat turns the liquid refrigerant into a gas refrigerant. The compressor will then pump this refrigerant from the outdoor condenser coil inside to the evaporator coil in the indoor air handler unit. At the indoor air handler unit, cold air from your home is pulled in and passed over the evaporator coil. The heat inside the refrigerant will naturally move out of the refrigerant and into the low-pressure cold air that passes over it. As the air is warmed, the blower fan assembly will continue to distribute that warm air throughout your ductwork or directly into the room in the case of a mini-split unit. The remaining refrigerant will circulate back out to the condenser coil and pass through a specialized expansion valve. This will essentially reset the refrigerant back to a liquid low-pressure state so that it can absorb more heat. This process repeats until the inside of your home reaches the temperature setting on your thermostat. It can be helpful to know that when it comes to cooling your home in the summertime, this entire process simply happens in reverse. Heat gets absorbed from the air inside your home and transported to the air outside.

The Immense Efficiency of Heat Pump Heating

One of the most desirable benefits of heat pumps is that they're extremely energy efficient when heating your home during the winter. This is because they don't have to use any input fuel or expel any energy to burn that fuel to create heat. This can allow heat pumps to reach efficiency levels up to 300 to 400%. That can go a long way in reducing your wintertime heating bills if you rely on another type of heating system.

The Effect of Freezing Temperatures

While the operating efficiency of a heat pump is simply unmatched by any other type of heating system on the market today, that only holds true when temperatures are above freezing. Air source heat pumps will struggle to extract heat from the air outside when temperatures start dipping to around 35 degrees Fahrenheit. When a heat pump can't effectively heat your home due to freezing outside temperatures, it will switch over to its auxiliary heating mode. This is where an internal heating element powered by electricity will create heat. The blower components inside the indoor air handler unit will blow air over the heating element. Unfortunately, when your heat pump has to rely on its heating element to create heat for your home, its efficiency level will drop. Additionally, it's important to know that the cost of your unit operation will increase significantly because it will be relying heavily on electricity to power its internal heating element with the other components of the heat pump system.

Dual-Fuel Heating Systems

Our Minnesota winters can see weeks where temperatures are well below freezing. If you want to avoid the high operational costs associated with the heat pump during these colder temperatures, you may want to consider a dual-fuel heating system. This is simply a fancy term to describe the pairing of a heat pump and another type of traditional heating system, like a boiler or furnace. The concept is that your heat pump will work to heat your home when temperatures are above freezing. It will also work to cool your home during the summertime. Once temperatures get below freezing, your heat pump will shut off and your backup heating system, such as your furnace, will work as an additional element to heat your home. This ensures that you're getting an optimal mix of both operating efficiency and affordable operating costs.

Ducted vs. Ductless Setups

When you start looking into heat pumps for your home, you'll find that there are two different styles you can invest in. The first and most common is a ducted heat pump setup that relies on your home's existing ductwork to deliver treated air. The second is a ductless mini-split setup that relies on multiple mini-split units placed strategically throughout your home to deliver treated air. Turn to our professionals to figure out which is best for your home!

Reliable Heat Pump Service

At One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning®, we’re proud to offer reliable heat pump service for the Minneapolis, MN area. Our skilled technicians are always on time—or you don’t pay a dime!® We also provide expert assistance for all your heating, air conditioning, indoor air quality and emergency HVAC needs. With straightforward pricing® and a 100% satisfaction guarantee, you’ll never have to worry about hidden fees or subpar service. Plus, our team adheres to a strict code of ethics, ensuring professionalism, respect, and quality craftsmanship every step of the way. Whether you’re upgrading to a cold-climate heat pump, need a quick repair, or want expert advice on improving energy efficiency, we’re here to help. Contact us today to schedule your heat pump service and experience why Minneapolis homeowners trust us for their comfort!