"Split System" Heat Pumps
A split system heat pump keeps homes comfortable all year long. In summer, it draws heat out of your home to cool it. In the winter, it draws heat from outside air into your home to warm it. Many heat pumps have a booster electrical-resistance heater that automatically heats outside air even more. Outside air always has heat in it -- even at very low outdoor temperatures. Like a central air conditioner, a heat pump includes a compressor, fan, outdoor coil, indoor coil, and a refrigerant. The efficiency of heat pumps is rated using SEER (for cooling efficiency) and HSPF (for heating efficiency). A heat pump uses electricity as its power source.
The basic components of a heat pump are:
- An outdoor Heat Pump section
- A matching indoor Air Handler or Gas (natural or propane) or Oil Furnace with coil
- Ductwork to transfer the heated or cooled air throughout the home.
York offers a wide variety of split system heat pumps in different sizes and efficiencies. You may find more information on York Split Systems Heat Pumps here.
Gas Furnaces
Most home comfort systems have two parts: an outdoor air conditioner or heat pump (see info above), and an indoor unit, a furnace. Furnaces heat and circulate warm air in the winter. They also take cool air from the outdoor unit and circulate it through your home in summer. The indoor and outdoor units are designed to work together. When the furnace is properly matched with a heat pump or air conditioner, you enjoy maximum efficiency and extended system life. Furnace heating ability is measured with an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) percentage. A higher AFUE percentage indicates a more efficient furnace.
The basic components of a furnace system are:
- A Burner, where gas (natural or propane) or oil is delivered and burned
- A Heat Exchanger, where the heat from the burning gas is transferred to the air distribution system
- Ductwork to transfer the heated air throughout the home
- A Flue or Vent Pipe, to exhaust byproducts of combustion (such as water vapor and carbon dioxide) outside
You may find more information on York Gas Furnaces here.