How consequential is your choice of home heating equipment? Let’s consider all the ways this choice will reverberate through your life:
Dixon Energy installs many different home heating options in Morristown, Boonton, Denville and other communities in our service area. In this post, we will compare two common heating systems: electric heat pumps and furnaces.
Furnaces and heat pumps have some key differences. Furnaces warm up air, usually with gas or heating oil, and spread it around your home through ducts and vents. On the other hand, heat pumps are all-electric, and you can find them in both ducted and ductless models.
The most consequential difference between furnaces and heat pumps is probably how they heat your home. Furnaces generate heat, while heat pumps move heat between the inside and outside of your house. In winter, a heat pump pulls in heat from outside and transfers it to your home.
Generally, swapping out a system with the same type of equipment should keep costs and daily disruption on the lower side. For instance, ductless heat pump equipment might be pricier than a new gas or oil furnace. Yet, if you need to add ductwork for a brand-new furnace system, expect the overall costs of a furnace installation to rise. A new ductless heat pump system is pretty quick to install, often done in a day or less. However, if you already have a forced-air furnace, replacing it usually takes about a day, too.
Heat pumps typically operate efficiently until temperatures drop significantly, as they tend to top out below the human body temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Because heat pumps can struggle to maintain indoor warmth during periods of sustained freezing temperatures, many households keep their oil or gas-fired heating equipment as a backup to ensure consistent heating.
In contrast, traditional furnaces are capable of heating air to 120 degrees or more, providing reliable warmth in basically any weather situation. This versatility makes furnaces a dependable option for households in colder climates, ensuring comfort regardless of external conditions.
Today’s furnaces can have fuel efficiency ratings as high as 98.5%, although the maximum heating efficiency you can achieve depends on the fuel type. Also, consider that their high performance in virtually all weather conditions means you can often run them in shorter intervals and decrease their usage at night while you’re asleep.
Heat pumps offer both heating and cooling capabilities, allowing you to use a single system year-round. They are typically zoned systems, enabling you to adjust the temperature in individual rooms rather than maintaining a uniform temperature throughout your home. However, since heat pumps become less efficient in freezing conditions, they may not allow for as many temperature adjustments in winter since they operate continuously.
Dixon Energy installs heat pumps, gas and oil furnaces and a range of other HVAC options. Reach out to us today for a FREE consultation on your home’s heating options.