If you live in a multi story condominium and you’ll need to select a package unit with the compressor and air handler built into one unit mounted on a wall. If you have an exterior space such as a patio, a balcony, or the like that will accommodate and exterior compressor, then you can select a Split System Heat Pump or a Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump. A Geothermal Heat Pump will require a larger yard area or maybe a pond as a water source.

In a game room separate from my house, I replaced my old 10 SEER with a Split System Heat Pump and substantially reduced my energy consumption. When the time comes when I have to replace the A/C system in my house, I will go with a Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump; this is a system that has one outside compressor and can supply up to four interior air-handlers and heat exchangers. A big factor is if you can eliminate duct work that is in a hot attic and dump the air straight into your room your unit runs less and of course, uses less energy.

As energy costs continue to rise and the more popular heat pumps will become, you will observe older multi-story apartments and condominiums installing these systems with compressors hung by brackets on their exterior.

As your selecting the right heat pump for the space you are heating and cooling, observed the COP, SEER and the HSPF. (See definition page for explanation). Before you buy, take a moment to figure your future energy cost. This information either will be supplied by a printed information sheet or labeled on the manufacturers plate. You add the amps used by the unit, multiply this number by 240 ( for the voltage ) this will give you the watts per hour. Then find out from your electric provider the charge per kilowatt hour. Then determine how many hours you will run the units per month to find out the monthly bill.

If you live in a colder climate, one of the more notable innovations in Split System air-source heat pumps is called a (Reverse Cycle Chiller) RCC. It offers the advantages of allowing the homeowner to choose from a wide variety of heating and cooling distribution systems, from radiant floor systems to forced air systems with multiple zones. It also offers the potential for lower energy cost and hotter air for your comfort.

The way a RCC works is the heat pump is connected to a large, heavily insulated tank of water that the heat pump heats or cools, depending on the season of the year. Colder climates can benefit from the RCC system which also allows the heat pump to operate at peak efficiency even at low temperatures and operate without the need for electric resistance auxiliary heating coils. It is possible for the RCC system to supply up to 115°F water to the air handler and a radiant floor system even though the outdoor temperature was negative 15°F.

It is imperative that you do your homework on the company you choose to install your Split System Heat Pump. The installation of air source heat pump is relatively simple; however, there is an enormous learning curve. There are a lot of little details that if they are overlooked can cause you a lot of misery. A shoddy installation job or a manufacturers warranty problems can turn a nice experience in to a nightmare.

A heat pump provides efficient heating and cooling for your home. This is possible because a heat pump moves free solar heat rather than creating it from some type of fuel. The hot air that is exhausted from behind your refrigerator is not heat generated, but heat being moved from the inside to the outside. With
A Split System Heat Pump consists of an indoor air-handling unit and heat exchangers that are separate from the compressor and the outdoor exchanger.

This allows less limitations on where you can install it and offers you the option of a ductless system or a whole-house heating and cooling with ductwork.

The triple-function heat pump not only warms and cools your home, it also heats your water. By use of a “desuperheater” it removing heat from the system’s refrigerant and using it to heat water, it provides essentially free water heating during the summer and a much more efficient use of electricity for heating water in the winter.

Split units are superior because they greatly reduce the size of the internal unit; also the noise level is almost non-existent on the interior. Another advantage is there is no need to drain water from the internal unit due to the location of the evaporator.

A drawback of split portable units compared with a package unit is that a surface exterior to the building, such as a balcony must be provided for the external compressor unit to be located. Unlike window AC units, the split unit does not have an option of exchange of indoor and outdoor air.