subject: Basics of Heat Pump Prices [print this page] Sometimes, the price has got nothing to do with the quality of the heat pump. People often think that buying a high-priced heat pump is buying a quality one. However, if the unit that is bought does not match the height and temperature of the place where it will be installed, then, the quality is null and void. So, in purchasing a heat pump, it is not just enough to know and compare prices, but to find out the reasons behind heat pump prices, which may entail knowing a few basics about heat pumps.
Heat pumps available in the market usually manifest in these two types: air-source and ground-source. Air-source units are generally less expensive than the ground-source (geothermal). The first one is a breeze to install in one's house; not much effort and time are required to get it up and running. The geothermal, however, is more difficult to set up, because the ground must be dug at a certain depth in order for the unit to create heat from underground.
When it comes to durability though, the latter type is more reliable, because the temperatures below the ground are more stable than those above. The temperature outside fluctuates with every change of season, which affects the efficiency of the heat pumps, in this case, the air-source type. When temperature is below zero, the air-source heat pump has to exert more effort to provide heating inside the house, which decreases its Coefficient of Performance (COF) as time passes.
The size and form of the heat exchangerboth used as evaporator and condenseralso affects the COF of a heat pump. The dynamics between its surface area and the shifting air temperature outside affects the compressor in generating a consistent amount of heat indoors. In principle, if the heat exchanger is bigger, it stabilizes temperature, resulting to a better performing compressor. But it also jacks up heat pump prices.
When the heat pump is in its reverse mode, or cooling process, the efficiency is called Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) in units of BTU. A higher EER value means a more expensive heat pump. So, if the purpose is more for heating rather than cooling, then, a geothermal heat pump with a lower EER but a higher COF can be a viable option.
