Harvey W. Hottel, Inc.

Since 1945

• Residential Services
• Commercial Services
• Geothermal
• Engineering/Design Build

Resources

A Primer on Heat Pumps

A heat pump is a vital home appliance that provides both warm and cool air to homes and buildings, like those in Montgomery County, MD or Fairfax County, VA. Being just like a fridge freezer, heat pumps give homeowners their much needed comfort which is most often reserved only for high-rise office buildings, five-star hotels and executive apartments. Generally, they heat, cool -- taking the place of traditional AC systems, dehumidify and constantly filter the air of dust and other impurities. In this way, heat pumps fulfill the roles that would otherwise be fulfilled by a traditional residential air conditioning systems and a traditional residential heating systems.

A heat pump consists of an indoor and outdoor unit. The existence of these two units has earned them the name “split systems”. Many heat pumps today have remote controls to provide homeowners with the greatest convenience.

A heat pump is actually an air conditioner unit that works in reverse mode. During summer, it operates as a regular air conditioner while during the colder months, it provides the necessary heat by getting heat energy from outdoor air or underground water. However, when the temperature outside drops below freezing point, the heat pump utilizes an internal electric heating coil and this can be very costly.

There is no standard size of heat pumps meant for homes. The most appropriate way to choose the right size is to have an accurate estimate of the heat needed in your home during winter for heating and the heat needed to be transferred out of your home during summer for cooling purposes. A qualified specialist from Harvey Hottel can do the heat estimation and advise you on the best heat pump for your home, whether you live in Maryland in Columbia, Bowie or Silver Spring, or in Northern Virginia communities such as Arlington, Reston or Fairfax.

As experienced HVAC professionals, Harvey Hottel's experts can determine the amount of heating required for your home. They will check on the heat loss through your walls, windows and roofs. In areas with cold climates, windows are recommended to be double glazed to minimize heat loss. Proper insulation of walls and roofs should, therefore, be your priority before purchasing a heat pump to save you on high installation and operating costs.

And if you should decide that a heat pump is not for you, Harvey Hottel HVAC experts also install gas heating and other traditional heating and air conditioning systems.

Size should not bother homeowners in choosing a heat pump. Heat pumps normally don't take up much space, can serve as neutral home decor with low noise levels. Various styles are available today but the most compact is the ducted split system as it can be hidden in the ceiling or under your floor with only its grilles for spreading air can be seen in your home.

Click here for information on Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHP)