The celebration of 2011 can kick off a couple of days early if you act quickly.

This week is the last week for consumers to potentially earn a tax credit for purchasing energy-efficient appliances. If you ever were considering purchasing a new heat pump, now just might be the time to do so.

Air source heat pumps are becoming more and more commonplace in residential and commercial properties. provide an environmentally conscious alternative to air conditioners and furnaces. Heat pumps, according to the Energy Star website, use electricity to move heat from a chilly space into a warm space. A heat pump, in turn, can make a cooler location chillier and a warm location even warmer.

According to the website, heat pumps, during the heating season, “move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house; during the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your cool house into the warm outdoors.”

All consumers looking to take advantage of the tax credit must do so before Friday, Dec. 31. The credit is expected to cover 30 percent of the cost of improvements, and taxpayers can receive a credit of up to $1,500 for all improvements that qualify under the stipulations. All information about the tax credit or heat pumps can be answered by our Birmingham AL heating experts. Call us today, or contact us online for more information.

A heat pump makes use of external heat sources, such as ground, water and air, to heat the interior of your home or office. Because heat pumps extract heat from external sources instead of generating heat, they use less electricity than electric heat furnaces – as much as 30%-40% less, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Air-source heat pumps are the most common type of heat pump you’ll find. They are well-suited to moderate climates. When temperatures begin to hover around 40 degrees or below for an extended period of time, efficiency is drastically reduced and backup heat generation is necessary. A qualified Birmingham HVAC provider is able to determine if a heat pump is appropriate for your situation.

Similar to conventional air conditioners, air-source heat pumps use refrigerant to provide comfort to your home or office. Two coils – one outdoor and one indoor – comprise most heat pump systems. During the cold winter months, liquid refrigerant in the outside coil gathers heat from the air and changes to gas form. The indoor coil delivers this heat as the refrigerant changes back into liquid form. During the hot summer months, an air-source heat pump systems works in reverse, much like a traditional air conditioning system.

For more information about heat pumps and heat pump installation, contact One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning of Birmingham AL.