Heat pumps can be used for both heating

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Heat pumps can be used for both heating and cooling in your home thanks to the reversing valve. So how does a heat pump and the reversing valve work?

What a Heat Pump Does

Just like the process used to cool refrigerators, the heat pump uses a special liquid to absorb heat as it turns into gas, expelling that heat as it reverts back to a liquid state. The heat pump operates just like a standard air conditioner during the summer months, taking heat from inside the house and pumping it outside.

This processed is reversed during the winter, instead extracting heat from the cold air outside and funneling that heat inside the house. This dynamic achieves maximum efficiency when the outside temperature is between 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit; the efficiency of the process drops as the temperature continues to drop below that.

The Heart of the Matter

The reversing valve is in control of which process a heat pump executes. It switches the pump's duty from absorbing heat from the inside and expelling it outside to extracting heat from cold air and redistributing it indoors. The heat's thermal energy is naturally drawn to cooler temperatures, and that shift to cooler temperatures releases energy. The heat pump controls both processes, with the reversing valve dictating the direction of the flow.

There are two states of operation that a heat pump operates under -- relaxed and energized. In a relaxed state the heat pump can be programmed to release the desired temperatures, either heated or cooled. The direction that the air temperature goes it is dependent on the flow of the refrigerant in the closed loop.

A valve can Water Cooled Evaporator be put in an energized state with a 24 Volt charge of AC current, which reverses the temperature flow. This charge is a low-voltage charge that is used by most HVAC systems. This charge can be applied either through a control board, or it can be brought about directly through the thermostat.

Will a Heat Pump Work for You?

It's tough to know for sure if your ac issues involve the heat pump until we can get out that and start troubleshooting the issue. Service Alert Air Conditioning and Heating can help determine whether a heat pump is the best option for the heating and cooling of your home. Air conditioning units are fairly complex and so the best way to determine your issue is to hire a professional.