Sizing a heat pump seems like an overwhelming task. How do I calculate what size heat pump I need? How many BTU heat pumps do I need? This is usually an estimate for which an HVAC expert is needed. While contractors use all of these factors to determine the exact size of the heat pump you need, there is a general rule you can follow. For every 500-600 square feet of air-conditioned floor area, install one ton of air conditioning capacity.
And since most heat pump sizes are determined by BTU (or British thermal unit), you'll also need to know that each ton is worth 12,000 BTU. An air source heat pump can provide efficient heating and cooling for your home. When properly installed, an air source heat pump can deliver up to three times more heat energy to a home than the electrical energy it consumes. This is possible because a heat pump transfers heat instead of converting it from a fuel such as combustion heating systems.
Hello Harold, a mini-split heat pump is usually used as an auxiliary heating source and main air conditioning source. I have already installed an electric water heater with a heat pump and I am very happy with the savings obtained so far. The right heat pump unit for your house is supposed to reach the set temperature quickly enough and maintain the required temperature efficiently by using less energy. Heat pumps are incredibly energy efficient (they have a coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.0 or even higher).
The size of your home is perhaps one of the most important considerations to consider when determining the most suitable size for your new heat pump. Heat pumps are not ovens and the heating systems that use them must be designed with different priorities. Therefore, a new house of approximately the same size as the one mentioned above will need a 5 kW air source heat pump. Finding the right heat pump size for your home is critical when it comes to saving money on energy and keeping your home at the right temperature in both winter and summer.
An air source heat pump will require very little space, while a ground source heat pump will need a large part in the yard. If you want to learn more about the physical size of an air source heat pump or the area you will need for a ground source heat pump, see the article “How much space do I need for a heat pump.” Air source heat pumps are influenced by air temperature, so have greater variations in energy production than ground source heat pumps. An experienced and certified heat pump installer with quality design calculation software is required to size a heat pump correctly. For a 2,500 square foot home (with a ceiling height of 10 feet, 4 residents, 3 exterior doors and 12 windows), a 40,400 BTU heat pump should be sufficient.
