Having a reliable heating system is an absolute necessity to keep you comfortable and safe throughout the cold winter months. When you start looking at heating systems, you’ll notice there are two main ones: a furnace and a heat pump. Both heating systems have pros and cons.
What Is a Heat Pump?
A heat pump is both a heating and cooling system. It can connect to your existing ductwork, or it can be used with a ductless mini-split setup. Heat pumps will run on electricity and work to transport heat from one area to another. Inside every heat pump is a substance called refrigerant. Refrigerant is responsible for absorbing heat so that it can be transported.
During the cold winter season, a heat pump will extract heat from the air outside and pump it into your home. It’s very important to note that a heat pump doesn’t produce heat through the combustion process like other types of heating systems. Heat pumps can operate very efficiently in mild winter climates, with efficiency levels of 300 to 400%.
What Is a Furnace?
When it comes to looking at furnaces, there are two main classifications. The first is an electric furnace, which relies on a heating element that’s powered solely by electricity. The second is a fuel-burning furnace, which can be powered by natural gas, heating oil, or propane. All these fuel-burning furnaces will physically use the combustion process to burn fuel to create heat for your home.
All furnaces are hooked up to ductwork that connects to the various rooms throughout your home. Air is circulated through the furnace’s heat exchanger where it absorbs the heat that’s created. It’s imperative to note that all fuel-burning furnaces will create exhaust byproducts, like carbon monoxide. These exhaust byproducts must all be vented to the outdoors to maintain your safety inside.
Electric furnaces can have an efficiency of 100%. Fuel-burning furnaces come in standard and high-efficiency models. Standard models will have an efficiency somewhere between 80 to 89%. High-efficiency models will have an efficiency of 90% or more.
The Factor of Climate
Heat pumps can operate much more efficiently than furnaces, which leads to lower utility bills. However, there is a caveat to how well heat pumps can function. Air-source heat pumps can only effectively produce heat when temperatures are above freezing. When temperatures drop, a heat pump will struggle to create heat and will switch over to its auxiliary heating mode.
This mode functions very similarly to an electric furnace. The heat pump has an internal heating element powered by electricity. It will circulate air over that heating element to absorb the heat and redeliver it to the rooms throughout your home. While this will still effectively heat your home, it’s not going to be anywhere near as energy efficient as when it’s operating at temperatures above freezing.
Longevity
When comparing any sort of heating system to another, it’s important to take their longevity into account so you can figure out how much life you’re likely to get out of your investment. A typical fuel-burning furnace will last anywhere between 15 and 20 years. An electric furnace will have a lifespan of between 20 and 30 years. On the other hand, heat pumps only have a lifespan of around 15 years. It’s important to consider that you’ll be using a heat pump for both heating and cooling throughout the year.
Maintenance Requirements
Many furnace manufacturers will require that you get professional maintenance service every year. When it comes to heat pumps, they typically need to be serviced twice a year. Both systems will need you to regularly check their air filters and either wash or replace them.
Safety Concerns
Because of the way that a heat pump functions, it does not produce any harmful exhaust byproducts. The same is true for an electric furnace. Both products are considered very safe to use. When it comes to a fuel-burning furnace, it does produce harmful fumes like carbon monoxide. While these fumes are normally vented to the outdoors, a system problem could cause them to back up inside. For this reason, it’s necessary to have carbon monoxide detectors in your home to alert you of the issue.
Tax Incentives
Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the federal government is rewarding homeowners who invest in energy-efficient heating systems. Homeowners who invest in a heat pump are eligible to receive a tax rebate of up to 30% of the purchase price of their new system to a maximum amount of $3,200. Some high-efficiency furnaces do come along with tax incentives as well. You may even find that some state and local governments will also give you tax incentives for buying these energy-efficient systems.
Investment Cost
One of the most concerning areas for homeowners when it comes to buying a new heating system is its total cost. In general, heat pumps are going to cost one and a half to two times more than a fuel-burning furnace. Keep in mind that you’re paying for one system that provides heating and cooling. When it comes to furnaces, electric furnaces will be the cheapest as they require minimal installation.
If you opt to purchase a fuel-burning furnace, it can cost twice as much as an electric furnace to have installed. This simply comes down to the fact that you’ll need to have a fuel line run to the city’s natural gas supply line or your on-site fuel tank. This process is much more labor intensive, which is why they’re more costly to install.
Existing Infrastructure
If you live in an older home, you may not have ductwork. It’s expensive to have ductwork installed after your home is already built because various layers must be removed to insert metal ducting. Many of these homes can benefit from a ductless mini-split system that uses multiple indoor air handler units instead of ductwork. However, these ductless mini-split units are only available for use with heat pumps.
Taking a Dual-System Approach
If you live in a colder climate, you may think that a heat pump isn’t going to work for you. While it’s true that it’s not going to be a great system to run when temperatures dip below freezing, you can still take advantage of its many other features.
When temperatures are above 32 degrees Fahrenheit, you can run your heat pump to take advantage of its high operating efficiency. When temperatures go below freezing, you can simply switch over to your furnace. This allows you to get the most optimal efficiency out of your heating systems throughout the winter months. Plus, it gives you the added advantage of having a heat pump that can cool your home during the summer season.
Professional Heating Installation Service
Ultimate Homes & Cooling offers professional heating installation services for homeowners throughout the Cape Coral, FL area. Our technicians can easily assist with all your cooling, heating, electrical, air purification, indoor air quality, dehumidifier, pool pump, and pool heater needs. Contact our friendly staff today to book your next service call. We’re the best heating contractor in Cape Coral!
