AN INTRODUCTION TO:

How heat pumps achieve energy savings and CO2 emissions reduction.
This section gives a brief introduction to heat pumps. Based on six basic facts about heat supply the value of heat pumps is discussed. It is argued that heat pumps are very energy efficient, and therefore environmentally benign.
An efficient technology.
Heat pumps offer the most energy-efficient way to provide heating and cooling in many applications, as they can use renewable heat sources in our surroundings. Even at temperatures we consider to be cold, air, ground and water contain useful heat that's continuously replenished by the sun. By applying a little more energy, a heat pump can raise the temperature of this heat energy to the level needed. Similarly, heat pumps can also use waste heat sources, such as from industrial processes, cooling equipment or ventilation air extracted from buildings. A typical electrical heat pump will just need 100 kWh of power to turn 200 kWh of freely available environmental or waste heat into 300 kWh of useful heat. For more information about the technical aspects of these energy savings are achieved, see the section Heat pump technology.
Six basic facts about heating.
Through this unique ability, heat pumps can radically improve the energy efficiency and environmental value of any heating system that is driven by primary energy resources such as fuel or power. The following six facts should be considered when any heat supply system is designed:
*direct combustion to generate heat is never the most efficient use of fuel;
*heat pumps are more efficient because they use renewable energy in the form of low-temperature heat;
*if the fuel used by conventional boilers were redirected to supply power for electric heat pumps, about 35-50% less fuel would be needed, resulting in 35-50% less emissions;
*around 50% savings are made when electric heat pumps are driven by CHP (combined heat and power or cogeneration) systems;
*whether fossil fuels, nuclear energy, or renewable power is used to generate electricity, electric heat pumps make far better use of these resources than do resistance heaters;
*the fuel consumption, and consequently the emissions rate, of an absorption or gas-engine heat pump is about 35-50% less than that of a conventional boiler.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

SUPPLY & RETURN AIR DUCTS

SUPPLY or SUPPLY SIDE
The part of an HVAC system that takes (supplies) the conditioned air from the air-handling unit or furnace to your home. The supply side should be “balanced” with the return side to ensure proper air flow and comfort.
RETURN, RETURN AIR, RETURN SIDE
The path the air takes to get to an air-handling unit or furnace so it can be cooled or heated. It is the “return” path. The return side should be “balanced” with the supply side to ensure proper air flow and comfort.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

HONEYWELL CENTRAL VACUUM SYSTEM

Superior Cleaning Performance
A Honeywell Central Vacuum System features high powered air watt motors and Triumph® HEPA Filtration.
It utilizes a closed system design to collect and remove 100% of contacted pollutants and allergens, such as dirt, dust, pollen, mites, animal dander and debris from the living area, unlike conventional vacuum cleaners.
Versatility
Honeywell Central Vacuum Systems have a complete line to clean homes of all types and sizes.
Honeywell Cleaning Sets and Accessories clean hard to reach places and surfaces
Durable Construction
5 year warranty on Power Unit and 2 year warranty on Cleaning Set
Installation
A Honeywell Central Vacuum System can be installed in virtually any home.
Each strategically placed inlet lets you vacuum 700 - 800 square feet
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

HEAT PUMP INFORMATION

What is a Heat Pump
A heat pump is a device that moves heat from one location to another using a small amount of energy. It is often used in moderate climates and uses the air temperature difference between indoor and outdoor air to cool and heat your home. While an air conditioning system generates heat, the heat pump moves heat, this way being more energy efficient. Heat pumps can provide up to four times more energy than they use.
How a Heat Pump Works
Naturally, heat flows to a lower temperature from a higher one. With the use of a small amount of energy--electricity, fuel, high-temperature waste heat--a heat pump forces the heat flow into the other direction. A heat pump transfers hot air from sources like surrounding air, ground, water or waste into a building. When it cools a building, the heat is transferred into the opposite direction.
Technology
There are two main types of heat pump technologies used: vapor compression and absorption cycle.
A vapor compression system consists of the compressor, expansion valve and two heat exchangers (evaporator and condenser). The absorption system consists of the absorber, solution pump, generator and expansion valve.
The vapor compression process: the evaporated refrigerant liquid is transformed to hot vapors. The vapors enter the condenser and are transformed into hot vapors. The hot vapors give off the useful heat and are expanded to the evaporator pressure. Finally the working liquid returns to its original state.
Types
The heat pump can be categorized according to the heat source used. The most commonly used type is the air-source heat pump. As the name suggests, it transfers heat from outside air. The disadvantage of this type of pump is that it can only be efficient in moderate climate conditions.
A more efficient type is the geothermal heat pump that transfers heat from nearby ground source or water source. The installation costs more for geothermal pumps compared with air-source pumps, but have lower operating costs, as the ground or water has a constant temperature. This type of pump can be used in more extreme weather.
Other types include the ductless mini-split heat pump--for homes without ducts--and the reverse cycle chiller pump--a type of air-source heat pump that generates hot and cold water.
Performance
The performance of a heat pump is the difference between the energy used and generated energy. A heat pump can generate 100 kWh (unit of power: kilowatts per hour) using just 20 to 40 kWh of electricity. An industrial pump can generate the same amount of heat using only 3 to 10 kWh of electricity, according to heatpumpcentre.org.
Due to the low consumption of primary energy, a heat pump reduces the gas emission that harm the environment --carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

Advanced Features to Look for in a Heat Pump

A number of innovations are improving the performance of heat pumps.

Unlike standard compressors that can only operate at full capacity, two-speed compressors allow heat pumps to operate close to the heating or cooling capacity needed at any particular moment. This saves large amounts of electrical energy and reduces compressor wear. Two-speed heat pumps also work well with zone control systems. Zone control systems, often found in larger homes, use automatic dampers to allow the heat pump to keep different rooms at different temperatures.

Some models of heat pumps are equipped with variable-speed or dual-speed motors on their indoor fans (blowers), outdoor fans, or both. The variable-speed controls for these fans attempt to keep the air moving at a comfortable velocity, minimizing cool drafts and maximizing electrical savings. It also minimizes the noise from the blower running at full speed.

Many high-efficiency heat pumps are equipped with a desuperheater, which recovers waste heat from the heat pump's cooling mode and uses it to heat water. A desuperheater-equipped heat pump can heat water 2 to 3 times more efficiently than an ordinary electric water heater.

Another advance in heat pump technology is the scroll compressor, which consists of two spiral-shaped scrolls. One remains stationary, while the other orbits around it, compressing the refrigerant by forcing it into increasingly smaller areas. Compared to the typical piston compressors, scroll compressors have a longer operating life and are quieter. According to some reports, heat pumps with scroll compressors provide 10° to 15°F (5.6° to 8.3°C) warmer air when in the heating mode, compared to existing heat pumps with piston compressors.

TECHNICAL TERMS (continued)

ACCA
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America, a national trade association that represents heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration contractors.
LOAD CALCULATION
A mathematical determination of how much cooling and heating (BTUs) an HVAC system must deliver for occupant safety and comfort. It is based on a variety of factors: square footage, building orientation, number of occupants, size and placement of rooms, number and size of windows and doors, amount of insulation, number of floors, and climate.
MANUAL D®
An ACCA procedure covering the proper design, installation, maintenance, and repair of ductwork.
MANUAL J®
An ACCA procedure covering the method for calculating heating and cooling requirements (load calculation) for single-family detached homes and mobile homes.
MANUAL RS®
An ACCA publication covering the design, installation, and commissioning of a residential HVAC system.

BALANCING or AIR BALANCING

Air Balancing, Digital Flowhood Testing(Adjusting air flow throughout a home)
Air balancing is a scientific way of adjusting the air flow evenly throughout the home or office using several available tools within the heating and air conditioning industry. Unlike big commercial buildings, residential duct systems were never engineered or balanced to properly distribute the air where it's needed in the home. This makes some rooms too hot or too cold. Air balancing is rarely performed in new construction or tract housing which leaves most homeowners wondering why they are uncomfortable in certain areas of their home.

What it takes to achieve even air flow.
Inspect your existing heating and air conditioning equipment, duct system and test your current air flow distribution system using a air flow capture hood.

What's a Air Flow capture hood?
These are essential computerized instruments for diagnosing uneven air flow. It measures the existing air flow coming out of the register vents in a measurement of cubic feet per minute (CFM) and we document those readings.

Make recommendations to correct the problem.
Usually, it is possible to use the existing duct system, or modify the main branch ducts to the proper size. In some cases it's requires that we replace the entire duct system, due to duct leakage or various design issues that can't be corrected properly to overcome the deficiencies. In either case we are installing air balancing dampers in each final duct branch run so the airflow can be adjusted properly.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.