Everything You Need to Know About Heat Pump Condensers
One of the safest and most efficient ways to heat your Anaheim, CA home is with a heat pump. Heat pumps also provide reliable, affordable cooling during the spring and summer months. Whether you already have one of these remarkable systems or you’re thinking about having on installed, it’s important to know what a heat pump condenser is, what it does, and how to take care of it.
What a Heat Pump Condenser Is
Furnaces and boilers create heat via combustion. Although there are currently both electric furnaces and electric boilers on the market, many of these heaters are reliant upon fuels like heating oil and natural gas for heat production.
Heat pumps work quite differently. Rather than creating heat, they simply transfer it. In the summer, heat pumps move warm indoor air outside. In the winter, they transfer heat from the exteriors of buildings into their interiors. Best of all, heat pumps can transfer outdoor heat indoors even during times when local temperatures are as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, some heat pumps can provide indoor heat even when temperatures are at or slightly below freezing.
A heat pump’s condenser is the primary component within this heat transfer process. Installed outside of your home, this unit is a network of heat exchange coils.
The Condenser’s Role in the Heat Exchange Process
Like all other fixed, whole-house heating solutions, heat pumps are comprised of multiple parts. The easiest way to understand the heat pump condenser’s role in heating or cooling your home is by mapping the entire heat exchange process. From beginning to end, this process involves the evaporator, compressor, condenser, and expansion valve.
The movement of refrigerant through your heat pump starts at the evaporator. This is a low-pressure heat exchanger in which cold refrigerant absorbs heat. If you’re using your heat pump as an air conditioner, the refrigerant will absorb your indoor heat while in the evaporator.
Cold refrigerant reaches the compressor while still at a low pressure level. The compressor raises the pressure of this fluid so that it matches the temperature that the condenser requires. As the compressor raises pressure levels, the temperature of the refrigerant also rises, and the refrigerant is pushed through the system.
This is where the substance enters the condenser. This high-pressure heat exchanger receives the heated refrigerant as a vapor. The heat is removed from the refrigerant and is either released outdoors for indoor cooling or distributed inside of the home for warmth. When the refrigerant leaves the condenser, it will return to a fully chilled state and start the cycle again.
Each of these four primary components within the heat transfer process are equally important. When one component becomes worn or malfunctions, the heat pump itself can malfunction or fail.
Is a Heat Pump Condenser Like an AC Condenser?
If you’ve ever owned a home with a central air conditioner, you’re probably well-familiar with outside condensing units. The condenser in a heat pump is very much like the condenser in a central AC system. The primary difference is that a heat pump’s condenser is far more flexible. Air conditioner condensers can only release warm indoor air outside. Heat pump condensers can function in this same fashion and in reverse. This is what allows heat pumps to provide year-round service whether homeowners need indoor cooling or indoor heating.
Caring for Your Heat Pump Condenser
Taking good care of your heat pump’s condenser is essential for prolonging your heat pump’s lifespan, ensuring its efficiency, and avoiding costly repair bills. Homeowners can perform several basic maintenance tasks on their own. However, cleaning the coils that lie at the interior of this unit is a job that’s always best handled by professionals.
Throughout the year, you want to make sure that this component isn’t surrounded by litter or debris. Tree leaves, branches, twigs, and invasive weeds should be cleared away. You should always keep this unit’s perimeter clear on all sides.
It’s important to avoid leaning any heavy items against your heat pump condenser. It’s also important to choose a safe location for your condenser when installing it. This unit shouldn’t be subjected to the extremes of wind, solar heat, or rain.
Your heat pump should be professionally serviced at least twice each year. You should schedule these visits before the start of the cooling and before the start of the heating season. During this twice-annual service, your heat pump technician will inspect, clean, and calibrate the condenser as needed.
At Alps Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., we’ve been serving residents of Anaheim, CA and the surrounding area since 1993. We offer heating, cooling, and indoor air quality services. We also provide energy efficiency upgrades, smart thermostats, and attic insulation. Give us a call today to have your heat pump professionally maintained!