
Heat Pumps vs Furnaces: Which is Right for You?
While traditional furnaces burn a fuel source to produce heat, heat pumps don’t. Instead, they use electricity and various refrigerants to transfer heat from one location to another. Specifically, they take heat from the outside and pump it into your home, which is why they’re called heat pumps.
These systems work similarly to your refrigerator. Your fridge uses refrigerant to absorb heat produced by the appliance and pushes it out to keep your food cold. The difference is that with a heat pump, you want that heat. The pump then takes in external heat and pushes it into your home.
Benefits of Heat Pumps
Improved Energy Efficiency
Heat pumps are overall more energy efficient than traditional furnaces. They use less electricity to move heat than a furnace burns fuel to create heat. This can save you money in the long run.
2 in 1
While they’re called heat pumps, these systems do the work of both a furnace and an air conditioning unit. Not only do you not have to worry about maintaining 2 separate units, but this also means it requires less energy for a heat pump to heat and cool your home.
Lower Maintenance Costs
Routine maintenance services for a heat pump are generally cheaper than maintenance for a furnace or air conditioning unit. After the initial installation, the cost to keep your system running smoothly is more affordable.
Benefits of Furnaces
A furnace (also known as a heater) is the typical heating system people think of when talking about home HVAC systems. These systems use either electricity or burning fuel to create heat that is then distributed throughout your home. While heat pumps move heat that’s already present, furnaces produce heat on their own.
Gas Furnaces
Gas furnaces can get warmer than a standard electric furnace. Since they burn fuel to produce heat, they can create more heat and warm your home more efficiently. These systems can burn either propane or natural gas.
Electric Furnaces
Electric furnaces heat metal coils to warm the air in the chamber before distributing it throughout your home. Since there’s no fuel to burn and therefore no combustion, there’s no risk of a gas leak or other serious complications.
Comparing Heat Pumps and Furnaces
When looking for a home heating solution, it’s important to know the pros and cons of each to make an informed decision. We’ll compare the cost, installation, efficiency, maintenance, and energy usage for both heat pumps and conventional heaters so you get a good idea of how each works. With this information, you’ll be able to come to an informed decision about which option is the right one for your home.
Cost
One of the first questions many people will ask when comparing heat pumps to furnaces is which is the cheaper option. Unfortunately, this isn’t a straightforward question to answer. The cost of a heat pump or furnace depends on factors such as where you live, what your home is currently equipped with, and how big your home is.
If your home doesn’t have a gas line and you want a furnace, it’ll cost more to install the proper line. In addition, larger homes require larger units to properly heat the space. Larger units are going to be more expensive. However, both heat pumps and furnaces qualify for tax incentives.
Installation
The installation process for each can vary based on the structure you already have in your home. If you already have the ductwork from an air conditioning unit, it’s a quick swap to put in a heat pump. However, without the ductwork, installation will include tearing through drywall and putting the proper vents and ducts throughout your home.
Similarly, gas furnace installations require a fuel line. If you don’t already have a gas line, one will need to be installed through your home and under your property. In the end, the installation process and cost fluctuate depending on your situation.
Efficiency
When discussing the efficiency of heat pumps and furnaces, it depends on where you live. Since heat pumps don’t produce their own heat and instead transfer heat from outside, their efficiency depends on the climate. If you live in an area with milder winters such as Phoenix, a heat pump is a great option that can keep up with colder winter nights.
In comparison, people who live in areas with snowy winters that get below freezing may want to consider a furnace. Heat pumps can struggle to pump heat into your home when temperatures get colder, and a furnace will always be able to burn fuel and produce heat.
Maintenance
Both furnaces and heat pumps require routine maintenance to keep them running properly. As mentioned earlier, heat pump maintenance appointments can be cheaper than furnace maintenance appointments. However, this is balanced by the fact that heat pumps require more frequent maintenance services than furnaces. So, while each appointment may be slightly cheaper, they happen more frequently.
In the long run, furnace (heater) maintenance tends to be more affordable than heat pump maintenance.
Energy Usage
Since heat pumps only transfer heat instead of producing it, they use noticeably less energy than a furnace. Furnaces have to create heat, which takes more energy and can cause an increase in your utility bills.
However, also keep in mind that a heat pump’s energy usage depends on the climate. In freezing temperatures, your pump will need more energy to properly heat your home, in which case a furnace may be the more energy-efficient option.
Which is Right for You?
After looking at the differences between heaters vs furnaces, how do you know which is the right one for your home? The short answer is: it depends. Furnaces produce more heat than heat pumps, but they can cost more to repair and maintain. There are pros and cons to both, and it’s important to weigh your options and choose the one that works best for you and your situation.
Looking for professional furnace help? Semper Fi Heating & Cooling is your team of local HVAC experts in the Phoenix area. We’re proud to help keep our local communities warm in the winter with high-quality HVAC solutions that keep your system working like a charm. Get in touch with us today to schedule an appointment with one of our furnace specialists.
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