Choosing the Right Size Heat Pump for Your Home

February 26, 2016

Heat pumps are energy-savers and can operate effectively in a wide range of micro-climates. These dual-purpose appliances make functional and affordable additions to just about any type of HVAC system, and in places that don’t experience temperature extremes they may be able to handle the entire heating and cooling load. However, heat pumps are an efficient and sensible choice only if they are properly sized. If you buy and install a heat pump that is too powerful or too weak you will undoubtedly live to regret it. So how does one go about choosing the perfect size heat pump? By hiring an installation company that uses a method called Manual J, which we will explain more fully in the next section. What is Manual J and How Does it Work? Manual J is the standard procedure used by HVAC professionals to evaluate a home’s potential for heat loss in cold weather and heat gain when it is warm. Once they know what your true heating and cooling needs are, then and only then will HVAC technicians be able to make a correct determination about what size heat pump you actually need. The parameters HVAC installers use to make Manual J-based...

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