What is a Heat Pump Vs Furnace?
Heat pumps and furnaces are two popular ways to provide heating to your home. Both work differently and have their pros and cons.
Choosing between the two systems depends on your location and the type of fuel available to you. But both offer benefits that make them an excellent option for year-round comfort.
How They Work
A heat pump is an energy efficient home heating system that uses a different technology than furnaces. While furnaces use fuel (oil, gas or electric) to create heat, heat pumps transfer and distribute that heat into your home through a series of exchangers and ductwork.
A typical heat pump system has two fans, coils similar to those found on the back of a refrigerator, and something called a refrigerant. The refrigerant has a lower boiling point, meaning it takes far less energy to change its state from liquid to gas, and it also absorbs and releases heat.
In the winter, a heat pump is run in reverse. The refrigerant extracts heat energy from the air outside your home and pumps it into the inside unit.
Energy Efficiency
If you’re looking for an efficient heating solution that can also cool your home, a heat pump may be the perfect option. Unlike furnaces that burn fuel to generate heat, heat pumps use electricity to extract heat from the outdoors and transfer it indoors.
In addition, they can also cool your home in the summer and reverse their operation to re-heat your home in the winter. Combined with low installation and operating costs, these factors make heat pumps an attractive choice for any homeowner seeking energy efficiency and peace of mind.
The type of fuel used to power your system also affects the heating performance of a heat pump. Natural gas and propane are most common, but there are some other options available as well, including heating oil and electric heat. You should also consider your climate zone when making this decision.
Cost
When it comes to heating your home, you have a lot of options. Two of the most popular systems are heat pumps and furnaces.
While both are effective at keeping your house warm, they operate in very different ways. A heat pump moves heat energy with electricity, while a furnace generates it by burning fuel.
A heat pump can be a more affordable way to heat your home. However, it does require a higher upfront cost for installation.
This upfront cost is recouped quickly in the long run. Because a heat pump is much more efficient than a standard-efficiency gas furnace, it can also save you money on your electricity bills.
The decision to replace your furnace with a heat pump depends on your climate. If you live in a milder climate, a heat pump may be your best choice for heating and cooling your home.
Maintenance
A heat pump is a heating and cooling system that removes excess heat from your home in the winter and draws heat from outside air during the summer.
Both furnaces and heat pumps require regular maintenance to keep them running efficiently. The difference between a well-maintained system and one that is neglected can be as much as 10% in energy efficiency.
Inspecting and cleaning filters, coils and fans is a common preventive maintenance service for these systems. It helps ensure that the unit is working properly and minimizing potential issues caused by dust build-up.
Also, a professional will check ducts and vents for obstructions and make sure the system is receiving enough air flow. Inspecting the refrigerant metering device and refrigerant level is an important part of heat pump maintenance.
Because heat pumps operate as both a heater and a cooling system, they need to be serviced more frequently than other HVAC units. They should be tuned up twice per year.
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Heat pumps and furnaces are two popular ways to provide heating to your home. Both work differently and have their pros and cons. Choosing between the two systems depends on your location and the type of fuel available to you. But both offer benefits that make them an excellent option for year-round comfort. How They…