Natural Gas Operated Heat Pumps
The following article is about natural gas heat pumps. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
Shown: Electric Heat Pump
Image Source: ShutterStock
Advances in Heat Pumps’ technology is creating a promising new product — Heat Pumps that are powered by natural gas instead of electricity. While they are just starting to become available, this will create huge benefits for both the owners of gas heat pumps and the environment. We detail all this within this article.
This type of heat pump has an internal-combustion engine that runs on natural gas — it replaces the electric compressor motor in the outdoor unit. At the time of this article, Natural Gas Heat Pumps were mostly in commercial applications. For residential uses, Gas Heat Pumps are available for homes sized 3,000 Square Feet and larger.
Click Here To See A Natural Gas Heat Pump ENGINE: Natural Gas Heat Pump Engine
Why Natural Gas Heat Pumps Are Better For The Environment Than Electric Heat Pumps
1/3 of Electricity Still Comes From Burning Coal — A Dirty Fuel
In 2017, nearly 1/3 of the electricity generated in the U.S. used coal as the energy source. The amount of carbon emissions from coal generated electricity is extremely high in comparison to natural gas emissions. Over time, all electricity will like be generated by natural gas, nuclear, and renewable energy sources. Until then, natural gas consumed at the point of use (the home) is a notably cleaner energy source than electricity.
2017 Electricity Generate By Energy Source:
- 32% Natural Gas
- 30% Coal
- 20% Nuclear
- 7.5% Water
- 6.3% Wind
- 4.2% Other Energy Sources
** https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&t=3
Generating & Delivering Electricity Is Extremely Inefficient
- In 2013, U.S. Power Plants were only 35% Efficient! This means nearly 3 times as much energy was used than was generated in the form of electricity. **
** Source: http://insideenergy.org/2015/11/06/lost-in-transmission-how-much-electricity-disappears-between-a-power-plant-and-your-plug/
- Once the electricity enters the Power Grid, another 5% is lost during transmission & distribution. **
** Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
- The end result is only 30% of the energy going into power plants (in the form of fuels) reaches consumers as electricity.
To Put Heating With Electricity & Gas Into Terms Of Efficiency
- A Standard-Efficiency gas furnace produces 80% of the heat as compared to the natural gas it used (the rest of the heat is vented with the exhaust).
- A High-Efficiency gas furnace producesup to 98.5% of the heat as compared to the natural gas it used (the rest of the heat is vented with the exhaust).
- As compared, in an area served by a Natural Gas Power Plant — a residential electric furnace produces only about 30% of the heat as a high-efficiency natural gas furnace with the same amount of natural gas consumed. This is due to all the energy losses during the generation and delivery of electricity.
Click Here For Energy Star’s 2018 Article For Most Efficient Gas Furnaces: Energy Star Report — Most Efficient Gas Furnaces
Annual Cost To Heat A DFW 2,000 Sq. Ft. Home With 4 Occupants
- 80% GAS Furnace: $585.00
- 97% GAS Furnace: $497.00
- Standard Efficiency Electric Heat Pump $810.00
- Electric Furnace $1,295.00
Cooling With A Natural Gas Heat Pump Will Provide Similar Savings As Heating
Cooling with a gas Heat Pump will generate similar savings. Heat Pumps use the same amount of electricity as a Central A/C when cooling (a heat pump is simply an air conditioner running in reverse when heating). The difference in operating costs are due to the cost of the fuel used (electricity versus natural gas).
How Natural Gas Heat Pumps Work
Natural Gas engine heat pumps work on the same principal as electric heat pumps. They transfer heat into -or- out of the home within a recirculating refrigerant. Instead of an electric motor, a natural gas engine powers the heat pump’s compressor in the outside unit. Electricity powers the fans and controls.
Gas Heat Pumps or GHP use natural gas to fuel the engine that drives the compressor. The compressor provides heating or cooling based on its setting. Thermal energy (heat) is transferred (within the refrigerant) between the outdoor unit & indoor unit(s). GHP can supplemental gas heating for when outdoor temps are too low for the Heat Pump to meet the home’s heating demand.
Heat Pump Cooling Cycle
Heat Pump Extracts Heat From Inside The Home And Moves The Heat Outdoors (same as A/C)
Image Source: ShutterStock
Heat Pump Heating Cycle
Heat Pump Extracts Heat From Outdoor Air & Moves The Heat Into The Home
Image Source: ShutterStock
The gas heat pump’s engine requires a radiator to cool the engine. In summer, the outside unit has a radiator to release the engine’s heat outdoors. During winter, the heat pump is able to recover the heat from the heat pump’s engine. A second loop of refrigerant captures the engine’s heat and releases the heat inside the home during heating cycles. By recovering the engine’s heat, the Natural Gas Heat Pump works in (10-15 degrees) lower outdoor temps than an electric heat pump.
** Source: http://www.homeenergy.org/show/article/nav/heating/page/8/id/900
Click Here To See A Natural Gas Heat Pump ENGINE: Natural Gas Heat Pump Engine
Click Here For A 3-Minute Video Explaining Natural Gas Heat Pumps: Natural Gas Heat Pumps Video
A Few Residential Natural Gas Heat Pumps Are Available Today
Gas Heat Pump technology is still somewhat new. In order to make gas heat pumps pricing economical, the majority of gas heat pumps to date were built for commercial applications. With the passage of time, residential gas heat pumps are now becoming available for homes 3,000 square feet or larger.
IntelliChoice makes residential Gas Heat Pumps for homes 3,000+ SF. Their Natural Gas Heat Pumps work with either Ductwork HVAC Systems & Ductless HVAC Systems. An outdoor Gas Heat Pump requires a small concrete pad and can replace multiple outdoor electric condensing units and gas furnaces.
The Manufacturer States:
- Electricity consumption is up to 80% less than an electric heat pump. They use natural gas to operate the compressor in the outdoor unit.
- Given current natural gas & electricity prices, air conditioning costs can be reduced up to 80%.
- Operating & Maintenance costs are up to 30% lower.
Click Here To Learn More About IntelliChoice Natural Gas Heat Pumps: Gas Heat Pumps For Homes 3,000+ Square Feet
Click Here To See An IntelliChoice Natural Gas Heat Pump: Photo Of An IntelliChoice Natural Gas Heat Pump
Click Here To See A Natural Gas Heat Pump ENGINE: Natural Gas Heat Pump Engine
Click Here To Learn More About Ductless HVAC Systems: AlsPlumbing.com Ductless HVAC Systems
NOTE: We could not find pricing for Residential Natural Gas Heat Pumps and we are not sure if they are currently available for installation for homes in DFW. You can contact IntelliChoice directly on their website at http://iceghp.com/. Phone Number: (702) 815-0600. They are located at 6280 S. Valley View Rd.; Suite 240; Las Vegas, NV 89118. They are the exclusive distributor of the NextAire™ GHP product line for North America.
Note: Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C Does Not Currently Sell Or Install GAS Heat Pumps. We Sell & Install Electric Heat Pumps.
Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s is near your home in Rowlette, Murphy, and Wylie. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.