Should You Replace Your Furnace With a Heat Pump?
Should You Replace Your Furnace With a Heat Pump?
When heating your home, you can choose either a furnace or a heat pump. Both of these types of equipment can effectively heat your home, but they use different methods. Furnaces operate by burning natural gas, while heat pumps require electricity. Knowing more about the two can help you determine which option meets your needs better.
Let a trusted provider of HVAC repairs and installations help you decide which type of equipment is best for your home.
What Is a Furnace?
A furnace is a component of a central heating and cooling system. It turns fuel into the heat that circulates through your living spaces. It has four main parts, which are the burners that produce and burn fuel, the heat exchanger, the blower and the flue that lets gaseous by-products escape outdoors. You can decide between heating systems using gas or oil as a fuel depending on your location and needs.
What Are Its Benefits?
Furnaces usually cost comparably less than heat pumps. Typically, the price of this equipment depends on its size and features. It can keep your home warm and cozy without requiring as much maintenance. This is mainly because furnaces contain fewer moving parts than heat pumps. Fewer components mean the likelihood of potential problems is also lower, reducing the amount of money you need to spend on heating and cooling services.
The downside of a furnace is that it can make the air in your home dry, resulting in skin issues and certain health problems. Many modern furnaces are significantly more energy-efficient than older models, but this issue can still occur. If you choose to get one, you’ll also need a separate unit for air conditioning.
When Is a Furnace Ideal for You?
When choosing HVAC equipment, you should always consider your climate. Many providers of heating services recommend furnaces for areas that experience extremely cold winters. If you live in a location where temperatures fall below freezing, then this equipment may be ideal for you. Furnaces don’t need outdoor air to generate heat, and they can create warmer air for structures built in cold climates.
What Is a Heat Pump?
Instead of burning fuel, heat pumps utilize electricity to pull out outside air and bring heat into your spaces. You can consider it a reverse air conditioning unit. Also, for this reason, it acts as an air conditioner if you put it in cooling mode. This means your heat pump plays the role of an air conditioner in the summer and a heater in the winter.
What Are the Pros?
One reason many people are choosing heat pumps is because of their energy efficiency. A heat pump will constantly move air from one area to another, depending on the season. During the winter, it takes heat from the ground or outdoor air and circulates it throughout your home. Meanwhile, in the summer, it removes heat from your indoor air, making your spaces cooler. If you’re interested in getting a heat pump for your home, get in touch with W.E. Beavers Jr. Heating & Cooling. We’re here to provide you with quality HVAC repairs and installations.
With a heat pump, you may be able to save on energy costs, especially during the winter. This versatile HVAC equipment also doesn’t emit carbon monoxide (CO). In addition to energy savings, you also won’t need to worry about carbon monoxide leaks. Your technician can easily install a heat pump in your home, and it will run quietly. This equipment also won’t make your skin dry since it produces humid air.
How Do You Know If It’s What Your Home Needs?
Your location also plays a major role in determining if a heat pump is what your home needs. It’s a great investment for those who live in an area with milder winters, such as southeastern climates. You should consider getting one if you need to replace your old air air conditioner because it can work as both an AC and a heater. To make the most of your investment, make sure to hire a reliable provider of heating and cooling services like W.E. Beavers Jr. Heating & Cooling.
A heat pump is ideal for climates that don’t experience harsh winters. It usually generates less heat than a furnace and may not be the best option for you, depending on how warm you like to keep your living spaces. You should think twice about getting one if the temperatures in your area generally reach below freezing. Keep in mind that heat pumps may not work as efficiently in colder climates since they use outdoor air. While there are systems integrated into heat pumps to produce warm air by moving the air over heating coils, they usually require a lot of energy to run.
Should You Replace Your Furnace With a Heat Pump?
Depending on your location, you can enjoy major savings by replacing your old furnace with a heat pump. Oil and gas prices fluctuate all the time, and even at their lowest, you’ll still spend more on heating your home with fuel than with electricity. Heat pumps utilize a little electricity and coils filled with refrigerant to draw out thermal energy in outdoor air and bring it to your home. This process uses significantly less energy than burning fuel, saving you money on utility costs.
A heat pump is a more eco-friendly option to cool and heat your home because it doesn’t burn fuel. Petroleum by-products, such as natural gas and heating oil, have more impact on the environment. They both need to be kept in tanks, and if these tanks leak, your soil and groundwater could potentially become contaminated. You need to make sure your furnace receives regular tune-ups and maintenance because neglected equipment can create toxic fumes that will harm your family’s health.
Let W.E. Beavers Jr. Heating & Cooling handle the HVAC needs of your home and business . We’re one of the area’s leading providers of quality cooling and heating services. Call us at (703) 897-5505 or fill out our contact form to get a free estimate.
