Heat pumps are becoming more and more popular for home comfort, especially here in Florida. But even with heat pumps popping up in a larger number of houses than ever before, the general public has many misunderstandings about what they are how they operate—and that makes it more difficult to know if a heat pump might be a good installation for home comfort.
The question in the title comes from one of these misunderstandings. Heat pumps are comfort systems that both heat and cool, leading to people thinking that they can’t do either job as well as a standalone air conditioner or heater. Here in Florida, where heating isn’t the main comfort concern, homeowners want to know if a heat pump in cooling mode can manage the intense summer weather as well as an air conditioner.
The compressor is the literal heart of a central air conditioning system: it’s what causes refrigerant to move through the rest of the system and transfer heat from the inside to the outside. When a compressor fails, the AC fails. The fans may still run, but no cool air will come from the vents.
Homes across the US frequently have issues with indoor air quality. Because modern houses are designed to prevent loss or gain of heat through open areas, there’s little chance for fresh air circulation to clean out the concentration of indoor contaminants.
The weather in Tampa is already sunny and warm, just as we’d expect in May. Air conditioners are now up and running, and they’ll probably only have a few days of break time for the rest of the season.
The dry seasons here in Tampa Bay can often last into May. But as summer gets into gear, the humidity starts to ramp up. And as the relative humidity rises along with the temperatures, it can mean some sweaty and uncomfortable days. Combining a 90°F afternoon—and we experience a few of those!—with relative humidity higher than 60% can make the weather feel 10° hotter! That is—no—fun.
A heat pump offers a home the great advantage of having both heating and cooling in a single unit. But it also offers a challenge as well, because it works twice as hard as a standard AC or heater. It’s important to see that your heat pump gets the right attention and service each year so that it’s prepared to work for all seasons. We’re now moving toward the hot weather of the middle of the year, so it’s time to get your heat pump ready for long hours in cooling mode.