Why do I ask? Okay, so I was writing this response for Demand Studios and they didn’t like it so, I thought I would post it anyway. The editor I was working with was a little narrow in the ignorance and so, here I am. Not that I am a great writer (check out my blogs, they are proof), however this was an easy research problem.
So, for those of you who are into living greener than you have been and finding efficiencies in your spending is important to you, here is the answer to “what is an a/c heat pump?”
Features
Heat pumps use refrigerant, which is a liquid gas that can cool down or heat up in order to cool or heat the air circulating in a home.
Function
Liquid refrigerant flows in a loop, traveling from inside the house to an outdoor unit. When cooling, the air in the house warms the refrigerant and it then flows outside where a fan cools it and the refrigerant then returns and the process repeats. Not all heat pumps are outdoors. Attics, basements and dedicate utility rooms can house the pump for various types of structures.
How An A/C Heat Pump Works
Significance
Heat pumps use minimal energy to operate. While assisting in heating and cooling, with smaller energy spending, a heat pump can reduce the utility costs of running an A/C unit.
Warning
According to Changquing Tian and Nan Liang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, heat pumps work most effectively in moderate climates. Extreme hot or cold weather tend to reduce a heat pump’s effectiveness and efficiency.
Benefits
Heat pumps can create efficiencies according to Laura Cowan of HowStuffWorks, reducing utility costs as much as 30 to 40 percent and lengthening the life of the entire unit when maintaining and servicing regularly. Costs and efficiencies can vary depending on the climate in which the pump operates.
References
Open Report 