Monday, January 28, 2013

Heat Pumps in Vancouver – Some Like It Real Hot

If you recently settled in the greater Vancouver area, you will realize soon enough how quickly it could get cold. Weather experts say the average highs in the Couv can top 14 degrees Celsius. The average lows usually reach 4°C; but freak conditions can send the mercury dropping a bit below zero.

The rainy days also present problems for those who like things hot. Since the weather can turn on a dime in the Lower Mainland, you will need to stabilize the temperatures at home. This is best done through heat pumps, which are large machines that transfer heat accordingly to either warm up or cool down a home. A provider of heat pumps in Vancouver such as Milani can make it happen.

You might have seen heat pumps if you spotted large gray box-like structures with grills situated outside some houses. The most common model, an air-source heat pump, consists of an electric motor, a duct fan on top, and a bank of liquid refrigerant coils. These are connected to an air-handling system in a secure location, usually the basement. The device, in turn, has a blower linking the machine to the various ducts throughout the house.

A command panel in the house dictates the operations of the heat pump. When the pump is in heating mode for example, it attracts cold air through the unit’s refrigerant coils and out the fan while the refrigerant is converted into hot vapor. The compressor’s reversing valve sends the vapor as a hot gas into the air-handler, where a bank of heating coils course the heat through the blower to be channeled into the home’s ductwork. The refrigerant is then returned to the pump’s coils to continue the cycle.

There are many things to consider when you are committed to having a heat pump installed in the house to augment or supplant your HVAC system. These include your ideal room temperatures, sensitivity to allergies, and the complexity of existing HVAC ductwork. Call in professionals from a Surrey heating company such as Milani to look over your home. Their skill and expertise will help map out the optimum solutions for the place.

Heat pumps have been touted as workable solutions for heating and cooling a home’s interior. Having these systems installed with the help of skilled professionals is sure to increase the value of any home.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Heat Pumps for Vancouver Households: A More Energy-Efficient Option to Heat or Cool Homes

Since spring in Vancouver means warm temperatures, locals engage in outdoor festivities, and when they get tired, they retreat to their homes to relax. However, they can't unwind if their current heating and cooling systems are defective. If this is your current situation, consider having heat pumps installed instead. There are two major types of heat pumps in Vancouver:

Air Source Heat Pumps


An air source heat pump takes heat from the air and boosts it to a higher temperature. The unit is typically placed outside the property, either on the side or at the back. An air source heat pump is effective in warming up radiators, underfloor heating systems, and even water. This type of heat pump can be further broken down into two varieties.

All-Electric Air Source Heat Pump Systems


This kind is equipped with a built-in electric back-up system. The back-up source provides supplementary heat as needed, to maximize the equipment's efficiency. In warm seasons, an all-electric air source heat pump system works the same way as a central air conditioner, since it removes heat and humidity from the interiors of a home and transfers it outside.

Dual-Fuel Air Source Heat Pump Systems


In cold temperatures, this type is paired with a forced-air heating system (which can either be fueled by natural gas or propane) to provide back-up heating as needed. The dual-fuel air source heat pump system is connected to a furnace in Port Coquitlam homes and, like a central air conditioning system, also transfers heat from the inside to the outside when needed. By working in tandem with a furnace, the heat pump makes household temperatures more consistent.

Geothermal Heat Pumps


Geothermal heat pumps—or what are sometimes referred to as ground source heat pumps—extract heat from the ground through buried pipes. The heat is then absorbed into fluid and passed through a heat exchanger. As ground temperatures are constant under the surface, this type of heat pump can be used throughout the year.

The heat pumps mentioned above are known to do a better job than traditional heating systems in maintaining desired temperatures in your home. Have the unit installed by reliable heating and cooling specialists like the ones from Milani Plumbing, Drainage, and Heating, so they can optimize the unit's energy efficiency benefits. This will help you reduce energy costs.