Heat pumps are far more energy-efficient than most traditional heating techniques, meaning they’ll save you some valuable dollars on your electric bill. If you’re looking to purchase one, you’ll need to know how many watts the heat pump uses. It’ll help you strike a fair balance between convenience and efficiency.
So how many watts does a heat pump use? This article will look at the power consumption of heat pumps, the factors that influence them, and a few tips to reduce heat pump power consumption, so make sure to read until the end.
What Is CoP?
The Coefficient of Performance (CoP) measures a heat pump’s ability to transfer heat versus the quantity of electricity it consumes. The CoP for heat pumps is almost always more than one. This is because they circulate additional heat from a heat source to the location where it’s needed instead of simply converting electricity to heat.
Generally, the CoP of a heat pump is strongly influenced by operating circumstances, mainly absolute and relative temperatures between the heat sink and the system.
For example, if a pump has a CoP of three, it implies that it can create three units of cooling or heating power for every unit of electricity used — the higher the CoP value, the cheaper your utility bills.
How Many Watts Does a Heat Pump Use?
A heat pump is now the most cost-effective electric heating method, with most high-quality systems achieving CoP (Coefficient of Performance) values of four or above.
Heat pumps are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes — which is a significant factor determining a heat pump’s power requirements.
The average home uses about 12,000 kilowatt-hours (KwH) each year to produce heat. So a heat pump with a CoP of 3 would need around 4,000 kW of power per year to achieve this.
Here’s a formula to figure out how many watts your heat pump uses:
Watts = Volts x Amps
You can see the volts and amps consumed by your heat pump on the data tag or by checking the breaker size within the electrical panel box. That said, the heat pump doesn’t always use exact voltages and amps specified on the label. Have a service technician do the math for you for a more accurate answer.
Factors Affecting Electric Usage of Heat Pump
You must fully understand the factors that impact how much you shell out to keep your heat pump running. There are a lot of factors, but we’ve picked out the most important ones for you:
Dimensions and Output
Heat pumps of various sizes demand varying amounts of energy. The larger the device, the more power it needs. What determines the heat pump size you choose? The quantity of BTUs you need.
Type of Heat Pump
The three main heat pump types are geothermal, air to air, and water source. All of them work differently and use various amounts of energy. Let’s break them down:
Geothermal Heat Pump
A geothermal heat pump uses a ground heat exchanger to cool and heat the air in your home. These are more costly to install, but they have minimal operating expenses due to their low energy use.
Air Source Heat Pump
This is perhaps the most popular type of heat pump. An air to air heat pump functions by transmitting heat into your home through air, which is why they’re a lot less expensive to install. However, they consume far more electricity than their counterparts on this list.
Water-Source Heat Pump
These work similar to ground-source heat pumps, except they get their energy from underground water and not the earth. They may not be as efficient as you’d like, but they use very little power.
The Outdoor Temperatures
A heat pump will focus on maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home. If the climate around you changes regularly, it’ll have to work harder to adjust, meaning it’ll need more electricity. You should expect to spend more on power if you reside in a location with freezing winters and hot summers.
Technological Aspects
The technology that goes into products like heat pumps improves every year, making them more efficient and less energy-hungry. Putting that into perspective, spending a little extra on a contemporary unit with a better heat exchanger and compressor can save you money.
Tips To Limit Power Consumption
Wondering how to reduce your heat pump’s energy consumption while increasing its efficiency? Although shifting from an electric heater to a heat pump will surely save you money, here are a few tips to save even more:
House Insulation
Consider insulating your home before investing in a heat pump. This will reduce your energy bills by reducing the amount of heat you need. Not to mention it’ll also improve your heat pump’s efficiency by reducing electrical energy waste.
Modify the Settings
It’s ill-advised to leave your heat pump on the maximum heating mode. Many current heat pumps feature timers, allowing you to program them so that they turn on 15-30 minutes before you need hot water. This will ultimately save you a lot of money over the year.
NOTE: Never fiddle with the settings and drastically lower the intended temperature when you’re out or at night. Contrary to popular belief, this will not save you any money.
The Correct Sized Heating Systems
Your heat pump should be appropriate for your house size-wise. A small pump won’t provide adequate heating. Instead, it’ll have to work harder and use more energy to serve its purpose.
An unnecessarily large heat pump will waste energy and prove inefficient. Say your home is 1000 square feet in size. In that case, a 30000 BTU (2.5-ton) heat pump will be the perfect pick for you.
Final Thoughts
Heat pumps are easily the most energy-efficient way to heat your home. We hope our guide has given you a better understanding of how many watts a heat pump uses and how to calculate its operating cost. This will help you establish realistic forecasts and budgets for your energy consumption each week, month, and year.
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