As heat pumps are becoming a more popular option for heating and cooling homes in mild climates throughout the country, many homeowners are interested in learning more about how these systems work. Many people are familiar with the fact that centralized air conditioning systems utilize refrigerant to cool their homes. However, do heat pumps use refrigerant too?
What Is Refrigerant?
Refrigerant is a liquid chemical that is used to transfer heat. It changes from a liquid to a gaseous state as it absorbs heat. As it disperses heat, it changes back into a liquid state, and the process repeats itself all over again. This process continues until your home is heated to the desired temperature set on your thermostat.
Refrigerant in a Heat Pump
The refrigerant inside of a heat pump will absorb heat energy from outside of your home via your outdoor compressor unit. Then, that heat energy will be piped inside via copper tubing and released via your mini-split units or your ductwork. Refrigerant is an absolutely necessary part of any heat pump operation.
Heat Pumps Use Refrigerant for Both Heating and Cooling
One unique feature of heat pumps is that they can provide both warm and cool air for your home, making them versatile and efficient systems for heating and cooling. A reversing valve will change the flow of refrigerant to either cool or heat your home. Air blows over the evaporator coil, which transfers heat energy from the air to the refrigerant. This allows heat energy to circulate through the refrigerant to a condenser coil. A fan blows across the coil, releasing heat. This process is what allows heat to be pumped from one location to another.
Expert Heating Services
Hammack Service Company, Inc. has been serving customers in the Richardson, TX, area for almost 50 years. We offer expert heating, cooling, indoor air quality, and mini-split services. Contact us today to schedule a professional service for your home.
