Air-source heat pumps work very efficiently to heat and cool many homes, but they’re designed to perform in temperate climates. When temperatures drop to extreme winter lows, air-source systems become less efficient. Reverse cycle chillers (RCCs) solve this problem — and make heat-pump systems more efficient. RCCs also work with a variety of heating and cooling systems, such as multiple-zoned, forced-air systems and radiant floor systems.
An RCC system consists of a heat pump attached to a heavily insulated water tank. The heat pump heats (or cools) the water in the tank. The heated (or cooled) water then heats (or cools) the air that is circulated through your house. If the RCC is connected to a radiant system, the water itself is cycled through to provide heat.
The water in the tank can reach up to around 120 degrees, even in weather that drops below freezing. In warm weather, the water in the tank can be cooled to around 50 degrees.
One reason an RCC system works so well: It uses a bigger heat pump. Standard heat pumps are typically sized to handle the “cooling load” — the amount of cooling required to keep your home comfortable in the summer — rather than the heftier “heating load.” So sometimes in colder weather, standard pumps lack the power to extract what limited heat is present in the environment. That means they have to defrost themselves using heat from inside the house, causing periodic blasts of cool air. An RCC system corrects that common complaint among some heat pump owners.
Many standard air source heat pumps fall back on a system of electric coils, like those in a toaster, to generate heat when temperatures fall. The coils are usually not highly efficient, and may generate utility higher bills. The water tank in the RCC renders backup coils unnecessary and delivers more consistent comfort year-round.
If you would like more information on reverse cycle chillers, the experts at Ace Hardware Home Services would be proud to help. We’re always glad to answer questions from Dayton and Springfield homeowners.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Ace Hardware Home Services services the Ohio’s Miami Valley. To get started, check out our website or request an appointment.
