THE MOST EFFICIENT, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM AVAILABLE!

Also known as Earth Energy Systems, heat pumps utilize the heat from the sun, stored in the earth, water or air, to heat and cool homes. Though these units were developed in the 1930’s, only in the past decade have consumers come to realize the cost efficiency and environmentally friendly aspects of the heat pump.

HOW HEAT PUMPS WORK

Heat pumps do not create heat, they merely transfer it from one place to another. Although a heat pump is technically a refrigeration system, it can be used for both heating and cooling. In the summer months, as an air conditioner, the heat pump removes the warm air from inside the home and expels it outside. During the winter, the heat pump operates in reverse, removing heat from the cold outside air and depositing it indoors (even very cold air contains heat).

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Canadians spend on average, 80% of their energy dollar on heating and cooling. Heat pumps can offer savings of 50-70% annually.

The most advanced gas furnaces are 98% efficient. That means that for $1.00 worth of natural gas fuel, you get .98 worth of heat. Heat pumps boast up to 400% efficiency! For $1.00 worth of electricity, the heat pump will provide $4.00 worth of heat. Though the initial cost of a heat pump is higher than a conventional heating system, the annual savings can help to payback the investment fast. In three to five years, that’s equivalent to a return on investment of 20%-30%. Most Earth Energy Systems provide hot water heating as an added bonus.  This can reduce a water heating bill by as much as 50%.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

Because heat pumps eliminate the need for a fossil fuel such as gas or oil to operate, there is no flame, no flue and no toxic fumes. Therefore, heat pumps do not contribute to environmental hazards including acid rain, air pollution and the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases regulate just how warm the earth stays. Carbon dioxdide (CO2) is the principle greenhouse gas, and at present, this gas is building up in the atmosphere at an alarming rate. The carbon dioxide we produce by heating our homes and industries with fossil fuels, and by driving our cars, accounts for 55% of the global warming problem. At least 24% of the CO2 emissions are from residential heating. It is estimated that for every 100,000 heat pumps installed, 2.18 million metric tons of carbon equivalents would be eliminated over 20 years.

COST

Heat pumps cost about twice as much to purchase and install as a gas, electric or oil fired furnace with add-on air conditioning. In most cases, however, that initial cost is recovered in the form of energy savings within 5 years.

Most homes have a hot water heater, a fossil fuel furnace and an air conditioner. With ground source heat pumps, all operations are handled by one system, making them the most energy efficient system available. Over 100,000 homes in North America utilize heat pumps as their main energy system.

Recent developments in the heat pump industry have made these units 25 to 30 per cent more efficient than they were just two years ago. As new technology is developed, and as consumers begin to realize the value of Earth Energy Systems, heating costs, and energy consumption should be greatly reduced.

The unparalleled efficiency, safety, comfort and reliability of the heat pump is rapidly making this technology a popular home-heating alternative in many parts of Canada.