About Me

Take On The Role Of A Contractor In Your Home

As the father of an autistic child, I have been faced with more than a few necessary home modifications projects. Unfortunately, with the high cost of raising a special needs child and my wife's decision to stay home and raise our son, there simply was no room in our budget to hire a contractor to complete these projects for us. Each weekend for nearly a year, I would pick a project to work on. This past month, I finally finished every project on my list. After learning more than I thought I would ever know about home construction and repair, I have a new found appreciation for the skills of general and specialty contractors. That is why I decided to start this blog to pay tribute to the job these contractors do, and help to empower more homeowners to take on the role of a contractor in their home.

Latest Posts

Choosing A New HVAC System: Is A Heat Pump Right For You?

Construction & Contractors Blog

Heat pumps have become increasingly popular over the past several years. As a result of their increased use, more and more homeowners are now considering the installation of a heat pump in their home. If you are among these homeowners, taking the time to review the pros and cons outlined below can help you to make a truly informed decision regarding whether a heat pump is the right type of HVAC system for your needs.

The Pros

There are many impressive benefits that come along with choosing to install a heat pump in your home. These benefits include the following:

  1. Lower Energy Costs - Rather than creating heat, a heat pump makes use of the warm air temperatures that naturally occur beneath the ground's surface. By pumping this warm air into your home, a heat pump will be able to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature while using a minimal amount of energy. This feature can easily save you as much as 40% on your heating and cooling costs.
  2. Offers Heating And Cooling - Heat pumps not only heat your home during the winter, but they also cool your house during the hot summer months. This means that you will no longer be required to purchase and maintain two separate units in order to meet both your heating and your cooling needs.
  3. No Onsite Emissions - Many traditional heating systems will rely on combustion in order to create heat. Unfortunately, this heating process will also result in carbon monoxide emissions that can prove dangerous if not properly ventilated. Since a heat pump does not rely on combustion to heat your home, you will never need to worry about onsite emissions that could put the safety of you and your family at risk.

The Cons

There are also a few disadvantages that can accompany your use of a heat pump. These disadvantages include the following:

  1. Need For Backup System - Since heat pumps move existing heat rather than creating heat, these HVAC systems will often struggle to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your home once the outdoor temperatures drop below the freezing mark. If you live in a cold weather climate, this will often mean the need to install a backup heating system that can be used to keep your home warm when your heat pump fails to keep up with the dropping temperatures.
  2. Upfront Costs - While a heat pump can save you a considerable amount of money in energy costs, these systems will typically cost more upfront. This can be a serious disadvantage for homeowners who are looking to replace their current heating and cooling system on a rather tight budget.

The Bottom Line

Heat pumps offer a very unique approach to heating and cooling that can save you a ton of money in energy costs while also proving incredibly safe for the environment you live in. However, these systems may prove ineffective when used in areas that frequently experience below freezing temperatures. To learn more about how well a heat pump would perform in your specific climate, be sure to contact a reputable HVAC contractor in your local area as soon as possible.

For more information, contact a business such as Reliable Building Services.

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2 April 2015