RCEC Area

RCEC		ERC Loan Program
RCEC Area Board Districts Marketing Program RCEC Employees Power Suppliers Rates Loan Programs Rebates Safety Irrigation Efficiency Scholarships Youth Tour Program		Electric Air-Source Heat Pumps Electric air source heat pumps use the difference between indoor and outdoor air temperatures to heat and cool inside air. Heat is present in all air, even air that is below freezing. Think of the way your refrigerator removes unwanted heat the accumulates when you open the door and place warm food inside. You can feel the heat coming back into the kitchen from the refrigerator's exhaust fan. In a similar way, a heat pump simply extracts the heat that is present in the outside air in winter and delivers it inside your home to keep you warm and comfortable. In summer, the process is reversed. The heat pump pulls the heat from the indoor air and releases it outside to keep your home cool and dry. A heat pump=s ability to heat and cool makes it a very economical and efficient home comfort system. The cooling efficiency of these heat pumps is measured by SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) numbers and HSPF and the heating efficiency by the HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Ratio. The larger the number the greater the efficiency (usually 14 or greater). A typical heat pump installation consists of two parts: an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit is called an air handler and looks similar to a gas furnace. The outdoor unit looks exactly like a central air conditioner in both size and appearance. For more information visit Energy Star-Labeled Heating and Cooling Products at their Web site www.epa.gov/appdstar/hvac.