Heat pumps and furnaces heat homes differently. Discover your best system. You have heating options. Choosing a heating system might be intimidating unless you’re a pro. Here’s how to choose.
Heat Pump
Heat pumps in central heating and cooling systems use outside air to heat and cool a property. Heat pumps are multifunctional since they can cool and heat. Heat pumps are energy-efficient and flexible. Heat pumps move warm air from one place to another, depending on the season, like a heat transporter. The pump transfers outdoor heat to your home in winter. Summer air is expelled from your home, cooling it.
Furnace
A furnace in a central heating and cooling system turns fuel into warm air for your home. All furnaces have four primary parts: burners, heat exchangers, blowers, and flues to exhaust gaseous byproducts. Gas or oil-fueled heating systems are available depending on your situation, region, and needs.
Dual Fuel System
Dual fuel systems combine heat pump and gas furnace benefits. A dual fuel system uses a heat pump and a gas furnace, switching between both as the outdoor temperature drops. The heat pump is more efficient in milder conditions. This provides the most comfort and saves the most money by switching between the heat pump and gas furnace depending on which is more efficient.
Installation Costs
Your home’s compatibility and system setup determine your furnace, heat pump, or dual fuel system’s installation cost. Air conditioner and furnace installations are more expensive than heat pump systems in homes without natural gas. Homes without heat pump wiring may cost more. Your dealer can assist you choose the right system(s) and explain installation charges.
Heating Efficacy
Ideally, a heat pump can transmit 300 percent more energy than it uses. High-efficiency gas furnaces are 95% efficient. Electric heat pumps save fuel. It heats and cools in temperate climates and is 100% efficient.
Gas furnaces use fuel to heat on cold days. A heat pump may struggle to heat your home in cold weather. Supplemental systems are available to work in combination with your heat pump and kick in on the coldest days. If used too often, these technologies waste energy and negate their energy-saving benefits. A dual fuel system can handle both moderate and below-freezing weather, switching between heat sources based on the outdoor temperature and home heating needs.
Air Quality
Heat pumps and gas furnaces share interior air quality issues. Products such as a whole-home air cleaner or fresh air ventilator are wonderful solutions when it comes to maximizing your home’s air quality!
Comfort
In general, the air from a heat pump isn’t as hot as what you receive from a gas furnace. It cools your home while warming it. Some people don’t like that. In contrast to the hot and dry air of a furnace, heat pumps circulate air that’s naturally humid — so they won’t dry up your skin as much as the heat of a furnace.
Maintainability
Gas furnaces outlast heat pumps. Properly maintained furnaces can last 20 years. Heat pumps, like air conditioners, typically last 15 years. Gas furnaces require less maintenance than heat pumps because their heating elements are only used a few months a year. Gas-fired furnaces have fewer mechanical parts than heat pumps, making them less likely to go down.
Concerns by Homeowners
There are some general guidelines to assist you choose a heating source, but every home and homeowner is different.
In mild climates, heat pumps may work. Heat pumps are ideal for homes with 30-40 degree F winters. Heat pumps operate well in warm winters like the Southeast. In addition, places with cheap electric prices are good prospects for heat pumps.
A furnace may be perfect for you if you live in a chilly region. If your winters are severely cold and have temps continuously below freezing a furnace may be the best alternative for you. Furnaces survive better in cold-weather areas since they don’t depend on the ambient temperatures to convert to heat.
Dual-fuel systems combines the advantages of both systems. Dual fuel is a fantastic choice in places that see either moderate or extreme winters. Dual fuel systems choose the optimal heating option—heat pump or furnace—based on your heating needs, making them ideal for all weather.
Conclusions
Your best resource for picking the appropriate heating solution for your home is an expert from Elite Climate Control. Your home’s demands and your tastes will determine the recommendation.
