Preparing your home before you install the heat pump can make a difference in your comfort and energy bills for years to come. Major factors that affect a heat pump’s performance include proper system sizing and ductwork compatibility. HVAC contractors use two software tools, Manuals J and D, to arrive at the correct tonnage for the heat pump and the right configuration and capacity for the ductwork.
Factors that affect the size of your heat pump include your home’s size, layout, energy efficiency, lifestyle factors and air infiltration rates, among other factors. The layout of your home affects the ductwork configuration. The heat pump is only as efficient as the ductwork design, so contractors pay close attention to the airflow going through the ducts, as well as the air being returned to the blower for redistribution throughout your home.
Heat pump sizing goes by tonnage, and each ton should provide 400 to 500 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of airflow. In order to do that, the HVAC contractor needs to assess your ductwork system carefully to verify that its capacity matches that of the heat pump you choose. If the airflow falls below 350 CFM, system efficiency falls.
Duct sizing is important, since ducts that are too small are noisy and those that are too large won’t deliver the air at the proper velocity. Manual D spells out the right size based on the system’s tonnage and the best configuration based on the design of your home.
Under the best conditions, each room in your home should have a return air duct that pulls the air back through the blower and returns it through a supply duct. This should be in place before the technicians install the heat pump. Lack of return ducts can create uneven pressure in your home, increasing air infiltration rates and insufficient conditioning in rooms with negative pressure. Air infiltration drives up conditioning bills and degrades indoor air quality.
For more information about the steps to take before HVAC technicians install the heat pump in your home, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc. We’ve provided superior HVAC services to the Dayton area since 1978.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat pumps and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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