If you are looking to save on cooling costs in your home this summer, consider a heat pump as an alternative to your furnace and air conditioner. A heat pump provides cool air in the summer, just like standard air conditioners, and provides heat in the winter.

How does that work?

Like a refrigerator, heat pumps use electricity to move heat: Heat pumps extract and move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house during the heating season. They move heat from your cool house into the warm outdoors in the summer.

Because heat pumps move heat rather than generate heat, they can cost up to 75% less to operate than conventional heating or cooling methods.

  1. Warm air from inside the home is passed across a cool refrigerant coil and the heat is absorbed by the liquid refrigerant, which evaporates into a low-temperature gas, and t e cooled air is ducted back through the home.
  2. The low-temperature gas refrigerant goes through a compressor, which raises its temperature and pressure.
  3. Hot, high-pressure refrigerant gas is passed through the outdoor coil. The refrigerant passes heat to the outdoor air and condenses to a high-temperature liquid.
  4. Warm liquid refrigerant is passed through an expansion valve, which relieves pressure. As the pressure is reduced, the temperature of the liquid is The low- temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant is then piped back into the house.

There are various types of heat pumps available. Presque Isle’s Energy Optimization program can help you find what fits your needs with energy – saving opportunities. You may even qualify for additional incentives by purchasing a new efficient ENERGY STAR® system. Visit pieg.com/eo or call 877-296-4319.