Can a Heat Pump Keep Me Warm When It Is Really Cold?

Heat pumps are marvelous solutions to keeping a home comfortable throughout the year, since they can operate as both a heater and an air conditioner. However, one of the few drawbacks of having a heat pump installed is that it can struggle with very low outdoor temperatures. Because heat pumps extract heat from the outside air and move it inside a home, it becomes more difficult for a heat pump to remove enough heat from very cold air to effectively warm up a house. However, will this be an issue for you? We’ll address this in a bit more detail.

If you need more information about using heat pumps in Sahuarita, AZ, look to Goettl Good Guys Air Conditioning.

And did you know we offer a 100% Unconditional Satisfaction Guarantee if you enroll in our Concierge Program?

To answer the question, “Is a heat pump strong enough to keep me warm when it’s really cold?” we need to define what you mean by “really cold.” This is much different in Southern Arizona than, say, North Dakota. From December through February, Southern Arizona has average highs around 65°F, and average lows of 40°F—mostly during the evenings. Heat pumps start to encounter trouble with cold weather when the outdoor temperature starts to drop below 35°F. Below freezing is when they begin to decline steeply in efficiency. So if “really cold” for you is a Southern Arizona deep winter of 40°F, then a heat pump should have no trouble keeping you warm. In fact, heat pumps were designed with warmer climates like ours in mind.

However, you can have assurance: installing a dual fuel hybrid system. These combine a heat pump with a back-up system that uses another fuel source, such as a propane furnace. Should the heat pump begin to struggle because the temperature has dropped too low, the back-up system will automatically come on to compensate. Because this second system will only need to operate a few days during the year, it costs little to run, so you’ll still benefit from the savings of a heat pump.

Let the professionals at Goettl Good Guys Air Conditioning help you decide if a heat pump is right for your home, or if you need to go with a dual fuel hybrid system—or perhaps another system entirely. We can analyze your home’s heating needs and determine what heater will give you the best performance and energy savings.

Contact us today to find out if you need help with heating your Sahuarita home.