The Vital Role Refrigerant Plays in Heat Pumps

Monday, February 22nd, 2016 at 11:00 am

Heat pumps are very different from traditional heating systems in terms of their construction. In fact, they're more similar to air conditioners than combustion based heating systems. This is part of what makes them so energy efficient, but it also opens them up to a couple of unique problems. If you want to make sure that your heat pump remains in the best possible shape, you should know a bit about how the system works. Let's take a look at one of the most vital parts of the heat pump system, the refrigerant system.

What Refrigerant Is

Refrigerant is not a single fluid, per se. It's actually a catch-all term for a variety of different heat transfer fluids used in air conditioning and heat pump systems. The refrigerant runs between the two units of the heat pump, one inside and one outside. Inside the two heat pump units are coils that can act as either evaporators or condensers. The evaporator coil, whichever one that is at the time, evaporates refrigerant to absorb heat from the surrounding area. It then sends the refrigerant gas down the refrigerant line to the other coil, where it is condensed back into a liquid. This releases the heat either into or out of the home. The refrigerant is what allows the heat pump to operate.

Refrigerant Problems

The one problem that you really need to watch for with regard to refrigerant is leaks in the line. The heat pump never consumes refrigerant, but recycles it during operation. If a leak develops in the refrigerant line, it will drain the system of the fluid it needs to operate. This will cause a slow decline in efficiency, followed by a complete system breakdown.

If you suspect a problem with your heat pump's refrigerant system, call American Heating & Cooling. We offer a full range of heat pump services throughout Whitesburg, KY.