B u s i n e s s D i v e r s i f i c at i o n
Pump Up Your Business
A look at integrating heat pumps into your product and service lines
By Keith Reid
O
Well driller Skillings & Sons, Inc., Amherst, N.H. drilling a
geothermal borehole for a heat pump application.
12
JULY 2013 FUEL OIL NEWS www.fueloilnews.com
JUNE 2013 || FUEL OIL NEWS || www.fueloilnews.com
il prices , being what they are , have focused many
homeowners on opportunities to reduce heating costs.
One way to do that is to incorporate a heat pump system,
particularly if the homeowner plans on staying at the property
for a few years.
While heat pump systems have an upfront cost, they can
generate a return on investment in energy savings in less than
10 years, and can make sense for homes heated by propane and
gas as well as oil.
Heating oil dealers with a HVAC operation might consider
diversifying the product and service offerings to include heat
pumps. In many ways it's a natural fit, but in others it requires
some specialized training and experience. In colder climates
a heat pump will typically serve as a compliment to oil, gas or
propane heating.
Heat pumps basically work by exchanging heat through a
liquid in order to heat or cool a space or – with a reversible
system – do either as needed. The concept is generally similar to
air-conditioning. The process requires some energy input either
from electricity (a compressor and pumps) or gas/propane
with a heat generator. The technology supports both forced air
applications and radiant heating. For a simple overview, there
are three common types of heat pumps on the market.
An air source heat pump is the similar to an air conditioner
incorporating a compressor, condenser, evaporator, and refrigerant all in a similar form
factor. An air source heat
pump can deliver one-and-ahalf to three times more heat
energy to a home than the
electrical energy it consumes
according to the Department
of Energy. However, as temperatures drop below 40°F
they begin to lose effectiveness, though they are typically
capable of functioning down
to about 0°F. However, newer
innovations push the technology's efficiency to even higher
levels allowing for efficient
Robur Reversible Cycle Air Source
use in even colder climates.
Another type of air source Heat Pump
