Environmentally Friendly Heating and Cooling Options

Electricity is primarily generated using fossil fuels. This produces high amounts of greenhouse gases that negatively impact the environment. The United States Environmental Protection Agency stated that in 2019, 25 percent of the greenhouse gases given off in the United States were due to electricity, the second largest amount behind only transportation.

Not using electricity isn’t exactly an option these days. However, you can help protect the environment by using products that consume less electrical energy. These products can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide the added benefit of reducing your energy bill.

Environmentally friendly heating systems rely more on alternative, renewable energy options instead of electricity or fossil fuels.

Here are a few environmentally friendly ways to keep the temperature in your home how you like it:

Heat pumps function by transferring heat energy from one area to another. They do not generate heat by themselves, instead exchanging heat from outside to inside or vice versa, even in winter.

Because heat pumps exchange heat rather than generate it, they offer an energy efficient heating alternative.

Air Source Heat Pumps

Air source heat pumps function using indoor and outdoor units comprised of a system of coils, refrigerant, and condensers to transfer air. They can work alongside air handlers or as part of a system to heat or cool an area.

When in heating mode, air source heat pumps extract air from outside. A liquid refrigerant absorbs the heat energy from the air as it evaporates into a gas. The gas carries that heat to the indoor coil, which compresses it, allowing the refrigerant to liquify and release the heat. This process reverses when cooling.

Ground-Source Heat Pumps

Active Solar Heating

Solar Cooling

You can also cool a building using solar power! A few different systems exist that utilize solar energy to provide cool air: desiccant, absorption chiller, or hybrid technology.

Desiccant: A desiccant, or moisture absorbing drying agent, pulls moisture from the air. This removes humidity from the air and cools down the room.

Absorption Chiller: They use changes in pressure and a sorption process. Using solar energy, some absorption chillers can chill a room without using electricity.

Hybrid: Hybrid solar air conditioners rely on both solar power and either electricity or a battery backup. For systems that use battery backups, the battery charges using alternating current.

If you’re looking for ways to become more energy-conscious and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, switching to an environmentally friendly heating and cooling system is a good place to start.

You can find a selection of geothermal heat pumps and condensers at HomElectrical!