In the past, many people didn't consider a heat pump as a viable option for heating homes in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow region of Oklahoma. Winters can be cold and older heat pumps weren't as efficient at extracting enough heat from the air when temperatures dropped below freezing. New engineering advances in the technology have made these units an attractive option, even for people living where winters are typically cold. The average low in January, the coldest month in this part of Oklahoma, is 27 degrees with highs in the mid-40s, making a new heat pump an attractive option for heating and cooling. A modern heat pump can extract enough heat to warm a house, even at temperatures as cold as 25 degrees without needing auxiliary heating.Heat pumps use refrigerant to both heat and cool the home. When the appliance is set on heat, the extracted heat from the air is compressed, which superheats the refrigerant. The heated refrigerant goes into the air handler where the heat transfer coils sit. When the air handler blows over the coils, the air warms and blows through ductwork inside the home. In the summer, the heat pump reverses the cycle, taking the hot indoor air and losing the heat to the atmosphere.These units are among the most energy efficient to use since they extract heat from the air to either heat or cool the interior. A heat pump can provide 30,000 BTUs using 3.4 kW, while an electric heater using 3.4 kW provides just 11,560 BTUs. People living in climates even colder than Oklahoma have turned to heat pumps to heat during in the fall and spring. Some of the units have auxiliary heating elements that turn on when temperatures dip below 25 degrees and others have supplemental heating chambers that use gas, propane or oil.If you want to learn more about the heating and cooling advantages that a heat pump offers, contact Air Assurance. We can answer your questions about the best ways to keep your home comfortable all year long.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. Visit our websiteto see our current promotionsand get started today! Heat pump image via Shutterstock