Air Source

As you may know, the air source heat pump is one of the two options in heat pumps. The other option is called geothermal heat pumps. The air source heat pump is by far the more popular of the two and there are some reasons for that. Here are a few of those reasons.

The air source heat pump (also known as the air-to-air heat pump) is much easier to install than the geothermal units. The geothermal units require that hundreds (if not thousands) of feet of coils be buried around the home. The air source heat pump does not.

For the most units, the air source types of heat pumps are less expensive than the geothermal types. Depending on the models, the difference in price can be dramatic. In fairness, it should be noted that the geothermal heat pumps can cost less to run each month than the air source heat pumps because they use less energy. But for many homeowners the higher cost of the geothermal units makes them a non-option.

Another benefit to the air source heat pump is that it can be used in more locations than the geothermal units. There are some locations, such as urban environments, where geothermal is not an option. Air source units can be used virtually anywhere. The units themselves are often no bigger than the usual heating and cooling units that you see.

There are, of course, some drawbacks to the air source units as well. One of the drawbacks is that in climates where the temperatures drop to very cold levels, the air source heat pump, by nature of the way it works, may not be able to provide adequate heat. For most units this happens at just below freezing. When this occurs the air source heat pump will have to use its supplemental heat source (usually an electric heater) to compensate.

It is possible to get a hybrid type furnace which can utilize the air source heat pump as well as another type of fuel, such as natural gas or fuel oil. Much of this decision rests on where you live and if you have any questions about this you should consult with a local heating contractor who can give you a lot of insight into what types of air source heat pumps work best for the area. He or she can also show the many types of air source pumps that are currently available.