Heat Pumps Explained: A Guide for Calgary Homeowners

Here in Canada, we’re no strangers to extreme weather. For homeowners in Calgary and Surrounding Areas, keeping our homes comfortable year-round is a top priority. While you have likely heard about furnaces and air conditioners, what if there was a single, highly efficient system that could both heat and cool your home?.

Enter the heat pump. It is a proven and reliable technology that is becoming increasingly popular for homeowners across Canada.

The Basics: What is a Heat Pump?

Think of a heat pump as a heat transporter. It’s a versatile HVAC system that can move heat from one place to another. This single system can both heat and cool your home. In the winter, it pulls heat from the outside air and moves it inside your home to keep you warm. In the summer, it reverses the process, taking heat from inside your home and moving it outside, leaving you with a cool and comfortable living space.

The Process: How Does It Work?

The best part about a heat pump is that it moves heat rather than generating it, which makes it incredibly energy-efficient. The magic behind the system lies in its ability to reverse the flow of refrigerant, a special fluid that absorbs and releases heat.

• Heating Mode: Even on a cold day, there is still heat energy in the air. The outdoor unit’s fan blows this cold outdoor air over a coil, and the refrigerant inside absorbs this heat. The refrigerant is then passed through a compressor, which increases its pressure and significantly increases its temperature. This hot, pressurized refrigerant is pumped to the indoor unit, where the heat is transferred to the air and circulated throughout your home.
• Cooling Mode: To cool your home, the heat pump simply reverses this process. It essentially works like a high-efficiency air conditioner. A key component called the reversing valve changes the direction of the refrigerant flow. The indoor unit’s coil absorbs heat from your indoor air, a process that also naturally dehumidifies it, leaving your home feeling cool and fresh. The heat is then moved to the outdoor unit and released into the outdoor air.

The Benefits: Why Choose a Heat Pump?

• Year-Round Comfort: A heat pump is a single system for both heating and cooling.
• Energy Efficiency: You can experience significant savings on your energy bills compared to traditional furnaces and air conditioners.
• Eco-Friendly: A heat pump reduces your home’s carbon footprint.
• Proven Performance in Cold Climates: Will a heat pump stand up to harsh Calgary weather? We get asked that a lot, and the answer is yes! There’s a common misconception that heat pumps are only suitable for milder climates. While that may have been true of older models, today’s cold-climate heat pumps are specifically designed to handle frigid Canadian winters. These advanced systems can operate efficiently in temperatures as low as -30°C. For those few days a year when the temperature dips into extreme lows, many homeowners opt for a dual-fuel system. This pairs a heat pump with a high-efficiency furnace, which will automatically kick in as a supplementary heat source only when it’s absolutely needed.

If you’re looking for a versatile, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly way to keep your home comfortable all year long, a heat pump is an excellent choice. At Knight, we’re experts in heat pump installation and service. Our friendly and knowledgeable team can help you determine the right size and type of heat pump for your home and answer any other questions you may have.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.