If you live in an area of the country where the weather is relatively moderate, you should consider having a heat pump system for your HVAC. This type of system is very energy efficient and will keep your heating and cooling bills low. Although the name is "heat pump," it is not your typical heater. What it does is move heat from one place to another. In the summer, it moves heat from inside your house to the outside. In the winter, it moves the heat from the outside into your home. The system does not generate heat.

When you decide to upgrade your current system to one with a heat pump instead, you will be able to choose between a few different styles. Here is further information about your options and how they are installed in your home.

Split System Heat Pump

A split system heat pump is comprised of two separate parts. One stays outside your home and one goes inside. Both of these parts have both evaporative and condensing coils. The evaporative coils absorb heat from the air and pump it to the condensing coils. The condensing coils then release the heat. Depending on where the heat needs to be released will determine which way the system is operating.

Rooftop Heat Pump

A rooftop heat pump has the condensing and evaporating coils in one unit that is installed on your roof. The unit absorbs the heat from outside through vents on the sides of the units to then condense it and blow it through ducts in the walls of your home. In the summer, the system pulls air into the unit through the ducts where it is exchanged and then released through the side vents.

Ductless Mini Split Heat Pump

A ductless mini-split heat pump has many parts. There is a large, outdoor unit like in a split system, however, instead of one large indoor unit, each room will have a small unit on a wall or in the ceiling. Instead of ductwork between the indoor and outdoor units, there will be small refrigerant lines that pass through the walls and ceilings to transfer the heat. Each unit can be controlled individually so you can regulate which rooms are being heated or cooled throughout the day.

Window Heat Pumps

Window heat pumps are very similar to window air conditioning units. The only real difference is that the system can be set to run in reverse when you need to heat inside. While they can be large units that take care of big areas, the area must be open, or at least not have closed doors separating multiple rooms. You may want to add a window unit to a room that does not have any ductwork to it like a garage. This is also a good option if you have added a room to the house and have not yet installed ducts or a mini-split indoor unit.

In addition to deciding what type of heat pump installation you want, you may be able to choose the heat source too. Choose between air, water, and ground heat sources depending on where you live. Talk with an HVAC contractor to determine which heat sources are available to you and which would work best. All installation options will work with any of the heat sources. You may start with absorbing heat from the air, and then have the pipes and coils installed to absorb heat from the ground or water. You may even be able to tap into multiple heat sources at the same time to make the system even more efficient.