The Air-to-Air Heat Pump Solution

Year-round comfort and savings for your home!

 

Efficiency Champs!

When it comes to heating and cooling a home, it’s tough to beat an efficient electric heat pump!  Heat pumps are proven, reliable workhorses that function in the same way a refrigerator or air conditioner does.  They don’t create any heat – they simply move it, or pump it, from one place to another.  Because they create no heat, they use very little energy to get the job done.  And because they’re electric, you know they’re clean, reliable and safe.  No fumes, no tank to fill, no pilot lights, no worries.

How They Work…

Heat pumps aren’t new.  Electric heat pumps first appeared in the 1930s, and they’ve improved dramatically.  The U.S. Dept. of Energy says: “Recent development in heat pump markets today have made them more reliable, and many applications can offer substantial energy and dollar savings.”  In other words, if you haven’t seen a heat pump lately, you haven’t seen a heat pump!

Heat pumps operate simply: They extract heat from a source at a low temperature and discharge it at a higher temperature.  This transfer of heat allows a heat pump to supply more heat than the equivalent energy it uses.  That means they’re highly efficient, which translates to lower operating costs.

Even in the coldest weather, there is heat energy in the air.  In extreme cold, heat pumps use built-in supplemental heating to ensure comfort in even the coldest climates.  In fact, heat pumps are one of the most popular space conditioning technologies in Sweden, which isn’t exactly tropical!

In the summer, heat pumps give reliable, efficient air conditioning and dehumidifying by reversing the process.  They really are the best year-round home comfort solution.  Ask your cooperative for more info.

Easy Efficiency…

Heat pumps use your home’s existing ductwork, so it’s easy to convert an inefficient propane or oil system.  Heat pumps can also be used in an add-on role, working in tandem with a furnace for significant savings (ask your cooperative for more information about add-on heat pumps).
Heat pumps are a great choice when it’s time to update, refurbish or expand a home.  They’re also perfect for new construction.  Another type of heat pump is the “ground-coupled” or geothermal system, which offers the highest heating and cooling efficiency available anywhere today.  Ask your cooperative for advice on heat pump dealer and installers in your area.

The Power of the Future…

Heat pumps are just one example of why electricity is the clean power of the future.  People are discovering that electric technologies are more efficient AND cleaner than combustion energy sources.  Electric technologies simply do more with less energy!  But the story doesn’t end with heat pumps.  There is a broad spectrum of electric home heating and cooling options, ranging from flexible baseboard units to high-tech radiant heating.  Electric air conditioners, water heaters, dryers and ranges make your home more efficient, cleaner, and more convenient.  Electric water distillers, cordless mowers, and high-efficiency lighting save energy while reducing emissions.  Talk to your electric cooperative about the clean power of the future.

Ask Those Who Know…

The Boeshart Family, Sioux City, IA: 

Pat and Sandy were cautious about heat pumps.  They had tried an early-generation unit in the 1970s, and found it to be inadequate for harsh northern winters.  But today’s heat pumps do the job: “Now I would recommend it to anyone,” Pat said.  “It is quiet, comfortable, and clean.”  Sandy was the real skeptic in the beginning, but she’s sold too, now: “There are no cold spots in the whole house,” Sandy said.  “We even turn the thermostat down about two degrees less and still keep warm.”

 

 

The Bowerman Family, Robinson, North Dakota: 

Thirteen years ago, Bob and LaDonna installed a heat pump in their North Dakota family farm home.  “We haven’t had any trouble with it in all those years,” LaDonna said, “and we run it all the time – winter and summer.”  Bob found the low energy cost comforting, too: “Truthfully, we don’t really pat attention to our bills anymore,” Bob said.  “They aren’t that bad.”  Cleanliness is a plus too.  “I sure don’t miss the smell of propane,” Bob said.

 

The White Family, Yankton, South Dakota:

Pat and Pete are sold on heat pumps.  They have two – one in their home, and one in the country store. And they like the peace of mind, too: “We don’t have to worry about a propane leak, or indoor air pollution,” Pat said.  “It is very safe.”