RELATED TOPICS: HEATING/COOLING, HEATING, AIR CONDITIONING, INDOOR AIR QUALITY, ZONING, OTHER OPTIONS, ESTIMATE REQUEST

Heat pumps are most simply described as air conditioning units with reversing valves to take heat out of the outside air during the winter and transfer it inside to provide warmth to the home or business.  In choosing a heat pump, use the same selection criteria of efficiency, noise, refrigerant type, and staging that you would use to select an air conditioner.  Heat pumps make the most sense in areas where natural gas is not available.  In many structures, the heat pump does not provide all of the heat required on colder days and nights, so a back up source of heat is required – usually electric resistance heat that is expensive to run and often requires an upgrade in service.  Heat pumps are available as air to air, water source, or ground source.

Hydronic heat uses a hot water or steam source run through a blower coil, radiator, or in-floor loop to provide heat.  The hot water is provided by a boiler, water heater, heat pump, or solar system.  Although we do not do radiant heating systems, we work with radiant heating contractors to install hybrid systems that combine the advantages of forced air systems with the comfort of in-floor systems.  The blower coils used in hybrid systems allow for cooling, air filtration, and the ability to bring a space up to the desired temperature faster than with an in-floor system alone.

The “Airfloor” system (www.airfloor.com) greatly improves on the hybrid system described above.  It performs better, is simpler to use, reduces maintenance, and has a lower installed cost.  It consists of a matrix of steel forms covered with lightweight concrete (requires 4.5”-5”total floor thickness).  Warm or cold air passes through the matrix to heat or cool the slab as it flows to outlets at the perimeter of an occupied space.  The system combines the benefits of forced air and radiant heat, including humidity control and filtered air.  Call us to design and install the Airfloor system in your new construction or major remodel project.