If you’ve been watching the news recently, you’ve most likely noticed in the headlines that the US may be entering its most severe drought in modern history, also known as a megadrought – droughts lasting two decades or more. Right now, the US drought monitor places 60% of Western states under severe, extreme, or exceptional drought.
Due to this warming climate and less than sufficient rainfall and snow accumulation to adequately fill various lakes, reservoirs, etc., along with extremely dry and hot summer months, wildfire season in the Western US is now two to three months longer than it was a few decades ago. With the threat of an extreme fire season ahead, you can prepare for the poor outdoor air quality with a ductless heat pump.
One of the greatest features of a ductless heat pump, and the reason behind our passion for this business, is that they are extremely environmentally friendly, efficient, and do not use any type of fossil fuels to directly heat and cool your home. (Electric power is much greener on average.) You get to enjoy quiet, optimal, and affordable comfort while reducing your carbon footprint. Not only that, but during events that affect outdoor air quality, such as wildfires, ductless heat pumps can help improve the air within your home while reducing the contamination from smoke. How do they achieve this?
Ductless heat pumps do not bring air inside your home from the outdoors, they simply heat or cool the air inside your home, circulating the air that is already within your home. During smoke events, you can keep all your windows and doors securely closed to prevent smoke from coming inside, while your ductless heat pump will keep your home nice and cool no matter the temperature outside as well as filter any smoke from the air within your home that may inadvertently get inside. Additionally, there are a number of add-on devices that can make it easier for heat pump filters to remove the very small particulates that make wildfire smoke so detrimental to your health.
The current drought and impending megadrought are creating a recipe for an intense wildfire season ahead. Give us a call at 360-321-4252 or submit a request to learn how you can reduce your carbon footprint and prepare for wildfire smoke with a ductless heat pump.