If you have looked at new heating and cooling systems for your home recently, you’ve likely come across some systems called “split systems.” You may have even read that these systems are more energy-efficient than traditional HVAC systems, a fact which piqued your curiosity.
Beyond these basic facts, though, you may have more questions than answers when it comes to split systems. To help you understand these systems on your way to choosing the best way to heat and cool your San Antonio home, here is a basic guide to all that split systems can do.
The Refrigerant Is Key
Split systems of all types operate on the principle that a gas, placed under pressure, will boil. When a gas boils, it can efficiently pull heat from the surrounding air. If you have an air conditioner in your home, you’re already taking advantage of this principle, as central A/C units use pressurized refrigerant to remove heat from your home.
A split-system heat pump installed by Rosenberg Plumbing & Air, then, simply takes this principle and uses it both ways. In the summer, the split-system heat pump works just like a regular air conditioner, pulling warm air from the inside of your home and moving it outdoors where it can be expelled into the outside air. During the winter, though, a split-system heat pump simply reverses this procedure to pull in warm air from outside.
You may think that the outside air during winter doesn’t have much heat to offer. Fortunately, though, the refrigerant in a split-system heat pump has a low boiling temperature, meaning it is quite effective at pulling heat from the air, even in fairly cold environments. Considering the mild climate of San Antonio, a split-system heat pump is especially effective.
Using this reversal of high-pressure refrigerant, therefore, a split-system heat pump is able to both heat and cool your home, keeping you and your family comfortable throughout the year.
What About Efficiency?
One of the biggest advantages of split systems installed in Rosenberg by Rosenberg Plumbing & Air is that they use less energy than a traditional HVAC system. This is because a split system provides what is essentially passive heating. Though there is movement required as the refrigerant is sent through the system, there is no new heat being created as there is with a traditional HVAC system.
In both electric and gas furnaces in a traditional setup, the energy that is put in is entirely devoted to producing heat. However, some of this energy is lost as light energy, whereas some of the energy is lost due to the inefficiencies of the materials used to transfer the heat from the energy source to the air. Due to these inefficiencies in creating heat, a split-system heat pump is especially adept at creating low-cost heat in mild climates.
For the ultimate in efficiency, a geothermal heat pump can be used. Rather than pulling heat from the air, these systems pull heat from the ground. The increased efficiency results from the fact that the temperature below ground changes slowly.
This means that even in the coldest of winters, your split-system heat pump will still be producing reliable and efficient heat. Though the upfront cost of a geothermal system is higher, the month-to-month savings on your utility bill will be larger.
Basic Considerations
If you’re interested in a split-system heat pump, there are some important factors to consider before you install one. The first consideration is the existing infrastructure in your home.
Since split-system heat pumps are powered entirely by electricity, the easiest installations by Rosenberg Plumbing & Air will happen in homes that already utilize an electric furnace. If you don’t have an electric supply in place, this is by no means an insurmountable obstacle. Capping off your natural gas supply line and running a high-voltage electric supply line will add complexity to the project, however.
Additionally, it’s important to ensure that you’re willing to have annual maintenance completed by Rosenberg Plumbing & Air. Though annual maintenance is important for all types of systems, it’s especially crucial for split systems.
One of the most important aspects of split-system maintenance is checking all the valves and gates that properly route and expand the refrigerant in the system. If these components malfunction, your system will stop working or will at least fail to operate with the same efficiency.
Rosenberg Plumbing & Air can assist you with all aspects of installation, maintenance, and repair of a split system. We want you to have maximum flexibility when choosing how to heat and cool your home, which is why we offer both split systems and traditional HVAC equipment. We also do commercial HVAC projects in addition to offering dehumidifiers and UV air sanitizers.
Throughout each project, you can expect to receive a high level of professionalism and service. This commitment has earned us an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, an Angie’s List Super Service Award, and a Quality Home Comfort Award.
This doesn’t include, of course, our hundreds of 5-star reviews from customers who are no longer suffering through another miserable summer or winter. If it’s time for a new home comfort solution, give Rosenberg Plumbing & Air in Rosenberg a call today.
Tags: Cooling, Heating, Split Systems