Install a Cold-Climate Air-Source Heat Pump
When considering taking steps to become more energy efficient, think in terms of investment. You are spending this amount of money and effort in order to reduce cost and energy consumption in the long run. Installing a Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pump (ccASHP) is a great energy efficiency investment that will also increase the value of your building or home. The most common type of Air Source Heat Pump is the air-to-air heat pump. It extracts heat from the air and then transfers heat to either the inside or outside of your home depending on the season.
An Air Source Heat Pump has three cycles: the heating cycle, the cooling cycle and the defrost cycle. During the heating cycle, heat is taken from outdoor air and “pumped” indoors. The cycle is reversed to cool the house during the summer. The unit takes heat out of the indoor air and sends it outside. If the outdoor temperature falls to near or below freezing when the heat pump is operating in the heating mode, moisture in the air passing over the outside coil will condense and freeze on it. To remove the frost buildup, the heat pump will switch into the defrost mode.
Air Source Heat Pumps are an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners, even in colder climates and for those with moderate cooling needs. They’re an attractive option because they are capable of providing efficient cooling and heating. A ccASHP can provide effective heating with temperatures as low as -13°F.
BENEFITS OF CCASHP:
- Increasing the efficiency of your existing heating and cooling system and extending its life.
- Providing energy-efficient air conditioning in the summer and heating in late fall and early spring. Cold climate models can provide efficient heating down to -13°F.
- Delivering 1.5–3 times more heating energy to a home than the electric energy it consumes (Source: U.S. Department of Energy)—that is a good return on your investment. This is possible because heat pumps move heat instead of converting fuel to heat.
Another incentive? Minnesota Power offers ccASHP rebates on both electrically heated and non-electrically heated homes. Click here to find out more about these rebates.
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