Do Heat Pumps Need Freon to Operate?

October 19, 2022

Many people in Las Cruces, New Mexico, use heat pumps during the winter to keep their houses warm. It’s easy to understand how a furnace that burns gas generates heat. However, many have questions about how heat pumps actually heat the home and whether they use Freon. How Do Heat Pumps Work? A heat pump heats your home by transferring heat from outside to inside. Heat pumps can do this even when the temperatures outside of your home are below freezing because there is always some heat in the air that can be absorbed. To transfer heat, a heat pump uses a chemical compound called refrigerant. Freon is a brand name for a type of refrigerant that DuPont produces. Refrigerants like Freon can be dangerous to people and the environment if not handled properly. For this reason, if your heat pump needs repair or maintenance, don’t do it yourself. Let the professionals at do it for you. Refrigerant’s Role in the Operation of Your Heat Pump Refrigerant only requires a small amount of energy to go from a liquid to gas and back to a liquid again. In times past, air conditioning and heat pump systems used flammable or toxic...

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What is a Heat Pump System?

January 5, 2021

Breaking Down the Basics of Heat Pump Systems Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are found in the overwhelming majority of U.S. homes and businesses. Most of these systems take the form of furnaces. Roughly 10% of all American homes use heat pumps as the primary heating and cooling systems. Heat pumps are different from other HVAC systems in several ways. How Are Heat Pumps Different? In simple terms, heat pumps work by moving heat from places and moving that heat elsewhere. Although the comparison isn’t perfect, heat pumps can be compared to air conditioners. While air conditioners can move indoor heat outdoors, heat pumps can transfer heat in both directions. Furnaces and boilers, two mainstream types of heaters, actually create heat. Although air handlers can transfer this heat throughout homes and buildings, no heat exchange takes place. How Do Heat Pumps Work? Heat pumps are split into two sections: outdoor and indoor units. Outdoor units contain heat exchanger coils, compressors, fans, and reversing valves. Indoor units also feature coils and fans. These heating and cooling systems require refrigerant to operate. Heat pumps, like air conditioners, transfer the heat they absorb into refrigerants. Upon heating up, refrigerants convert from a...

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