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What is a Heat Pump System?

Hello, Kyle here today from ClearView Services! If you’ve been here for a while, you will have noticed that we mention ‘heat pump’ furnaces, often alongside forced air furnaces in relation to things like repairs and adding extras like air conditioners.

Though it’s easy to picture a heat pump system as some sort of, well pump, this sort of heating system is more than that and could be the answer to both your desire to conserve energy and a way to bring both warm and cool air into your home, depending on your needs.

So what is a heat pump system?

Most heat pumps are ‘air source’ heat pumps and as the name suggests, they work by moving air around.

If you want warm air, then the heat pump pulls hot air out of the air outside and brings it in.

If you want cool air, then the heat pump pulls the hot air out of your home so that cooler (and often drier) air can move in to take its place.

Heat pumps are most often used as an air conditioner as a result, but they also double quite nicely as a heating system.

Another type of heat pump system that you will see in Canada is the geothermal heat pump system.

These heat pumps pull heat out of the earth instead of the air, pulling from the layer with consistent heat no matter how cold it is above ground.

This is an important consideration because air source heat pumps don’t work when it gets very cold outside. Geothermal ones will just keep going!

There are also recycle cycle chiller systems that provide hot and cold water and can be used with radiant floor heating, but for the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on air source and geothermal heat pumps since they’re by far the most common use.

Heat pumps have a huge number of advantages in the right hands.

First, they are an all-in-one package which makes it a lot easier to work with them throughout the year.

You don’t have to set up an Air Conditioner or prep a furnace every year, just ensure that your heat pump is in good working order with regular checks and maintenance and you’re good to go.

Second, because heat pumps don’t actually generate any heat or cool air, you’re using far less energy than the standard furnace or AC, making them more environmentally friendly and a little cheaper on the wallet.

Some people have saved between 30-40% on their energy bills in the switch!

As with anything in life though, there is a trade-off.

Most heat pumps don’t do well in places with extreme temperatures because it’s harder to move heat around.

I think all of us who live in Calgary know that there’s pretty well no scrap of heat around in a -30 winter! There are heat pumps which can overcome this problem–or else we wouldn’t be talking about them!-such as geothermal heat pumps which can pull heat right out of the earth no matter how cold the air is.

However, these systems aren’t as common and will require a very different level of installation, maintenance and repairs.

Fortunately, geothermal pumps are a lot sturdier than air source pumps and usually require little in the way of repairs and care.

And for many people, particularly those in the Great White North, heat pumps alone won’t do the trick; they are best combined with an existing furnace or at least by doing a thorough weather-proofing of your home.

Heat pumps are a great way to keep your home more moderate in temperature without spiking your electricity bill.

They can work with existing systems to keep your home warm and can keep rooms cool in the summer without too much effort.

They are an environmentally sound alternative and though the initial installation is pricey, the machine pays for itself in energy savings in between five and ten years. With a lifespan of 25 years, it’s a pretty economical choice!

In Calgary, your best bet is to use a geothermal heat pump because there are too many times where there is no warmth in the air, but in the earth, it’s still warm.

So there you have it! If you would like to learn more about heat pumps or would like to have them installed in your home, please contact Clearview Plumbing & Heating for assistance.

We’ll be glad to help you out!

Clearview Plumbing and Heating is a Calgary Plumbing and Heating company based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada which is available round the clock to carry out any type of Calgary Plumbing or Heating job, like installing or repairing a heat pump system.

You can reach us any time at 587-912-1413!

Serving Calgary, AB and surrounding areas

We take immense pride in providing Calgary, AB and surrounding areas with top-notch plumbing, heating, and cooling services, ensuring every home and business operates smoothly year-round. Our team’s expertise and dedication shine through in every project, earning the trust and satisfaction of our valued customers across the city. Serving you isn’t just a job for us; it’s a commitment to excellence and a testament to our passion for keeping our community comfortable and thriving.

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I had furnace venting replaced. This company is efficient and very professional. You know who is coming to do the work and given notice of when they’ll arrive. Heinz was very knowledgeable, professional, was not bothered by all my questions. He gave full explanations, reasons why, and great advice on maintenance care. He showed that he cared about what he was doing and was very efficient in getting the work done quickly. I highly recommend this company and Heinz.

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Had them update and install our infloor heating two zones, and add tank less hot water on demand and install a water softener. Our technician was very professional kept his work area tidy, cleaned up after himself. He also wiped down all the equipment used including piping and tubing. He was friendly, kept us informed on his progress. You could tell he enjoys what he does… great job Thank you so much.

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Heinz was professional and honest. He gave me options and the price. The price was the price and there were no extra charges. He worked on a boiler system that was having issues. He flushed and cleaned system and everything is back up and running. When he was finished he asked if I had any question. I look forward to him coming back to service this system again.

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Arrived on time and did a quick and efficient replacement of my kitchen sink faucet. Also took the time to further explain the operation of the water softener installed on the last visit.
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Barry did a great job in replacing a leaking Hot Water tank. Just a bit shocked at how much the cost of a new tank has increased over the years. We would certainly use ClearView for future jobs.

Ken Stowell

Clearview was excellent to deal with. Very professional in their approach and the picture sent of the plumber before hand is an excellent idea. Richard was great to deal with. He gave me different options to resolve the problem.

Rick Pultz

Our hot water tank blew and fortunately we noticed right away. We called Clearview Services late in the evening and we were answered right away. We were kept in the loop throughout the entire experience and Gabe Colpitts was the service technician who visited the next morning. He was very professional and spent the time to explain and educate the different options that were available. We were up and running with hot water the very next day.

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Rural folks can depend on you, as We have for more than 30 years, for both our property and others.
If you say you’re coming – you show up- or you promptly let us know of any delays! AND do a fantastic job. We’d asked for certain day & hours, as our neighbour has a B&B, didn’t want to cause issues with septic removal smells for them. YOU DELIVERED! Thank you. The Jackson’s.

Robert Jackson

Can’t say enough about the great service I received from Heinz regarding some concerning alerts we got on our Ecobee Smart Thermostat yesterday. I felt cared for and trusted that he was focused on the necessary followup to assure our safety. Heinz is very good at his job.

Kim Koch

We could not do the water valve replacement because the city could not shut the water off. I was warned ahead of time that this might happen so was not worried. Yamil was courteous and professional and I look forward to his return when the city can fulfill there end of the job. Justin and Sean were great with the furnace install. It went smoothly and Justin explained the new thermostat fully. The walk through on the furnace was useful and timely. Justin and Sean were friendly and professional and great to work with. John who came out for the initial inspection…

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The appointment to come to check my boiler was prompt and early I’m the day so I didn’t have to wait the whole day. I received a call 15mins before the arrival. An email and a text was sent earlier. Gerry introduced himself and told me his purpose. He checked my boiler for a while then explained clear to me what the problem was, it was relief to know that it is nit necessarily a serious one. He made further checks and made some recommendations for change of some worn out parts, the re-glycol – 10yrs overdue and some leak that…

Roland B.

I felt the company is oriented on quality of customer service , they send me the track link when dispatch the plumber, and the plumber is super on time too . I really appreciate Richard , he is supper patient to help me find out what is the best solution, focus on customer’s interest . Thank you again , I will definitely use your service again when I having plumbing problems, which I hope it will never happen.

Jing Huang

Barry was fantastic. Explained the steps that would be required to detect the leak and then proceeded with the work. He was professional and managed to fix our issue same day. He left our home clean and tidy before leaving. Overall very happy.

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