What is a heat pump?

WHAT IS A HEAT PUMP AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Heat pumps can be a great option to meet your home’s year-round comfort and energy efficiency needs. Gaining early popularity in the 1970s, previous generations of these systems were mainly considered for milder climates. Modern heat pumps, especially variable speed mini-split heat pumps, are reliable and sustainable, providing high-performance heating and air conditioning to homes anywhere, even extremely cold climates. The system consists of an indoor air handler, which can be ducted or ductless, and an outdoor condenser unit.

To provide heat, the outdoor heat pump absorbs heat energy from the outside air and transfers it to the inside unit via the refrigerant. The refrigerant is compressed, increasing its temperature significantly when it reaches the indoor coil. A fan blows air over the heated coil to deliver warm air to the room. This heating process is much cleaner and better for the planet than burning fossil fuels, providing zero emissions. While air conditioning the process reverses; the indoor evaporator unit absorbs and sends the room’s heat energy to the outdoor unit compressor. The vapor is condensed back into a cold liquid that cools and returns to the indoor unit coil. The fan blows across the cold coil to provide cool air.

United partners with Mitsubishi Electric and other brands to provide the best heat pump options to your home. Find out more information about Mitsubishi's heat pumps below:

INVERTER TECHNOLOGY MAXIMIZES COMFORT AND EFFICIENCY

Mitsubishi Electric’s mini-split heat pump systems use INVERTER-driven compressor technology to provide a precise, on-demand approach to heating and air conditioning. The INVERTER-driven compressor acts as the heart of the heat pump system. Just as your heart always beats, but automatically beats faster when you exercise, the INVERTER compressor continuously runs in the background, adjusting speeds and capacity as needed to meet set point temperature of a zone (or specified area). This method of operation reduces power consumption by only using the exact amount of energy required to maximize comfort.

Comparatively, many conventional central systems use a fixed-speed compressor which is either completely shut off or fully on at capacity. This can lead to large temperature swings and wasted energy, which ultimately affects your home’s overall comfort and utility costs.

RELIABLE HEATING IN ALL CLIMATES

Even in cold climates, today’s heat pumps can keep your family comfortable and help preserve your home’s value. If you live in an area with extreme cold-weather conditions – not to worry! Mitsubishi Electric offers heat pump systems with Hyper-Heating INVERTER® (H2i®) technology which can provide up to 100 percent of heating capacity at 5° F and continue operation down to -13° F even without auxiliary heat. Select units equipped with Mitsubishi Electric’s H2i plus™ technology can deliver up to 100 percent heating capacity down to -5° F. While conventional heating systems rely on fossil-fuel burning furnaces and boilers to provide heating, Mitsubishi Electric’s high-performance heat pumps are an efficient and environmentally friendly way to keep your family cozy year-round.

UTILITY BENEFITS

One of the main benefits of heat pump systems comes down to utility savings. With energy-efficient INVERTER-driven compressor operation, heat pumps can lower your home’s total cost of ownership and monthly utility expenses. Zoned Comfort Solutions also provide customized control so you can turn off zones not in use, unlike conventional central systems which run full blast conditioning the whole house. Zoning allows operation based on room occupancy and temperature needs, saving you valuable energy costs.

Utility companies also recognize the positive environmental impact of choosing an all-electric heat pump system. They’re willing to reward homeowners who make the choice to move away from fossil fuel use. Use Mitsubishi's rebate finder to obtain rebates and incentives for your heat pump system.

While heat pumps have been around for generations, today’s all-electric high-performance models provide superior comfort for your home, exceptional energy savings and environmental stewardship.