Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Heat Pump Installation’

Should a Heat Pump Be Your Next HVAC Installation?

Monday, January 23rd, 2023

If it’s nearing time for you to invest in a new air conditioner or heater, you may be thinking about a heat pump. After all, it’s an all-in-one solution for both heating and cooling. You don’t have to have two different systems in your home, and heat pumps are also very reliable.

But how do you know a heat pump is right for you and your family? Our team is happy to answer any of your questions about heat pump installation in Wilmette. We can even offer a free on-site assessment and outline your options so that you know whether that’s the right choice based on your unique home. 

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Should You Consider a Heating Installation This Year?

Monday, September 19th, 2022
technician-looking-over-furnace

You never want to completely overhaul your heating or cooling system because it’s a big project to take on. But with each passing year, you get closer to needing a new heater installation. After all, heating and cooling systems are only designed to last for so long. Is this the year for a new heating installation in your home? 

If you’re wondering if the time is right for a heat pump installation, we can help. Ideally, you want to install a new heat pump before winter sets in, so fall is a great time. You still have a couple of months before the cold really sets in, so be sure to give us a call sooner rather than later. In the meantime, learn more about the benefits of a heat pump system. 

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Why You Should Install a Heat Pump This Winter

Monday, February 15th, 2016

There are a wide range of different home heating systems available on the market today. With the overwhelming number of different choices you have, you may be tempted to just go the safe route and install a new heating system of the same type as your old one. Before you do that, though, you should check out what some of the other heating systems have to offer. Let’s take a look at heat pumps, and the unique advantages they can offer you this winter.

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How Heat Pumps Work as Both Air Conditioners and Heaters

Wednesday, November 19th, 2014

Heat pumps offer a number of terrific advantages for home comfort: they are efficient, rely entirely on a readily available energy source, hook up to pre-existing ductwork, and score high in home safety. But the number one advantage, and the reason most homeowners who choose heat pumps became interested in them in the first place, is that they work as both heaters and air conditioners. Heat pumps manage this feat through a single process; they are not a separate heater and AC system packaged within a single cabinet. In this post, we will provide you with a simple breakdown on how heat pumps manage their useful dual-function.

If you think that heat pump installation in Lincolnwood, IL is your best option, contact Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning today to schedule a service appointment. We have been in business almost as long as mechanical air conditioning of any kind has existed.

Heat Pump Operation Basics

At its core, a heat pump is almost identical to a standard central air conditioning system. Like an AC, a heat pump has an indoor and outdoor unit. The outdoor unit contains a compressor that places a chemical blend of refrigerant (sometimes known by the trademarked name “Freon”) under high pressure in order to cause the refrigerant to circulate through the system. The refrigerant absorbs heat from one set of coils, and then releases the heat through a second set of coils. The movement of heat from one place to another is what allows the system to alter temperatures inside a building.

With a standard air conditioner, the refrigerant only travels in one direction: it moves from the compressor to the outdoor coil, where it releases heat. Cooled down, the refrigerant then moves to the indoor coil, where it absorbs heat and lowers the indoor temperature for the blower fan to send the air through the ventilation system and into the rooms. The refrigerant then returns to the compressor to renew the cycle.

A heat pump does this same process when in cooling mode. However, thanks to the presence of a component called the reversing valve, it can switch the direction of refrigerant flow. The refrigerant moves from the compressor to the indoor coil first, where it releases its heat and warms up the air for distribution. It then travels to the outdoor coil and absorbs heat before re-entering the compressor. This is heating mode, and it only requires a single change on the thermostat to switch from cooling mode to heating mode.

Call Us for Heat Pump Installation

For quality heat pump installation in Lincolnwood, IL, you must have the service of professionals. Few heating and cooling contractors in Chicagoland have more experience and training for this job than Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning. Let us determine if a heat pump is right for your home, and then size the unit and install it so that your household receive years of quality comfort.

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Will a Heat Pump Keep Me Warm Enough in a Skokie Winter?

Saturday, January 11th, 2014

Skokie winters are nothing to sneeze at (if you’ll pardon the pun). Things get mighty cold around here in January, which can create concerns for homeowners who rely on heat pumps instead of gas furnaces or boilers to warm their homes. In Skokie IL, a heat pump installation can be fairly costly, which is offset by its increased efficiency from month to month. Cold air can impact that efficiency, and influence he heat pump’s ability to do its job. “Will a heat pump keep me warm enough in a Skokie winter?” you ask. The answer is usually “no,” though there are ways to correct the issue.

Just so you’re aware: Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning services heat pumps in Skokie, IL.

Heat pumps rely on the same technology used to run air conditioners: cycling refrigerant gas through a series of valves and coils that first warm the surrounding air and then cool it. With a heat pump system, one set of valves and coils is located inside the house and another set is located outside the house. In the summer, the indoor set produced cool air, with hot air produced outside (where it can safely be vented into the great outdoors). In the winter, that process is reversed, with the indoor set producing warm air and the outdoor set producing cool air.

So what’s the issue? The issue is that that warm air often isn’t enough when temperatures dip to the freezing level, which they often do here in Skokie. The heat pumps efficiency – one of the big reasons to get one – drops way down and it often struggles to heat the home properly in the wintertime.

The good news is that hybrid heating units exist, which add a small auxiliary heater onto the heat pump to help it out during those cold days. That preserves the unit’s efficiency – saving you money in monthly bills – without forcing you to skimp on much-needed warmth. If you’re asking “will a heat pump keep me warm enough in a Skokie winter?” then Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning has an answer for you. We handle heat pump installations in Skokie on a regular basis and can provide hybrid heating systems as an alternative to help keep your home warm and toasty like it should be. Call us today to set up an appointment!

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How Long Does Heat Pump Installation Take?

Tuesday, November 26th, 2013

Here in Lincolnwood IL, a heat pump installation is a common procedure. Heat pumps serve dual functions as both heaters and air conditioners, though in the Midwest they often rely on a smaller gas furnace to help heat your home on the coldest days. Either way, they cost less to run than traditional HVAC systems, which can make them very enticing to frugal homeowners. How long does heat pump installation take? That depends on the specifics, though a few general tips can help you make an estimate.

Some heat pump systems are designed to be connected to an existed centralized system, with an air handler to move conditioned air from the pumps throughout your house. In those cases, installation will be much simpler and faster than, say, installing a series of heat pumps as a ductless mini-split system, which would entail multiple heat pumps installed around your home.

Regardless of the elaborateness of the system, the basics for installing a heat pump are the same. You and the technician would select the best placed to install the unit: somewhere that shares an outside wall and which doesn’t have any potential obstacles nearby (such as bushes outside or a thermostat inside). A foundation is set up outside, one which can support your heat pump in the exact location required. Holes are drilled in the walls to run refrigerant lines and similar connectors between the inside part of the unit and the outside. The inside part of the unit is set up and installed, then the lines are insulated and run through the openings in the wall. The outside unit is then mounted and secured to its foundation, and the lines are connected and tested to make sure they are properly fitted and sealed. The installer will slowly equalize the pressure, then ensure that the refrigerant gas is fully charged before activating the unit.

Ideally, that process should take a day or less, though obviously it will be longer if the technician is installing multiple units as part of a ductless mini-split system. For more on how long heat pump installation takes in your circumstances, the experts at Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning can help. We offer heating services in Lincolnwood, so rest assured we can provide an estimate on the time it will take before we start installation. Pick up the phone and give us a call today!

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