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Energy
Helper
Heating and Cooling Systems
 Electric
Heat Pumps
We
recommend an electric heat pump as the most energy-efficient, economical,
clean and safe choice for year-round heating and cooling. Because
there is no combustion process in the operation of an electric heat
pump, it leaves your home cleaner and fresher and it doesn't have
the potential to create carbon monoxide poisoning.
To
provide the greatest degree of efficiency and comfort, a heat pump
must be the correct size. Undersizing the unit can decrease the
level of comfort provided, and oversizing wastes energy and can
cause poor indoor humidity control. The heat provided by a properly
sized and installed heat pump is a warm, steady, consistent heat
without the hot and cold spots and temperature extremes that you
can experience with other types of heating systems.
A
Member Services representative from Snapping Shoals EMC can assist
you in determining the proper size unit for your home. Call 770-385-2875
for more information.
- The
air source heat pump is the most popular type of heat pump
in our area. During the summer, it pulls heat from inside the
house and moves it outside. In winter the process is reversed,
with heat being extracted from the outside air and moved indoors.
(Yes, there's heat even in winter air!)
- Geothermal
heat pumps are even more efficient because, rather than using
the outdoor air, they make use of the earth, where temperatures
stay more constant throughout the year. In the winter they take
heat from the earth and bring it inside. In summer, heat is pulled
from inside the house and deposited in the earth. Geothermal systems
have a higher up-front cost, but the energy savings they bring
over the long term make them an affordable choice for many.
Dual
Fuel Systems
Another
heating and cooling option is the dual fuel system. It combines
an electric heat pump with a natural gas furnace. The heat pump
provides the summer cooling and the primary winter heating, and
the furnace serves as a back-up during extremely cold weather. (An
all-electric heat pump has electric heat strips for back-up when
temperatures dip really low.)
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