Furnace vs. Heat Pump: What’s the Difference?
Having Options: Heating Your Home
With the colder months finally creeping up, we all want to be cozy indoors and avoid outside frigid temperatures. Whether using a furnace or a heat pump, your home can get nice and toasty with the proper heating system. You may wonder what the difference between these two heating systems is since they both heat your home. Despite serving similar purposes, here are a few differences between the two heating systems.
How They Function
Furnaces generate heat, usually by burning gas, propane, or using electricity with a hot surface. Heat pumps, on the other hand, operate by actually transferring heat from one source to another. Your heat pump heats your home by taking the heat from the air outside and bringing it inside your home. Even in the cold winter months, your heat pump can draw heat from the cold air outside.
Energy Efficiency
Depending on your home, what works best for you can depend on your needs. Geothermal heat pumps and even air-source heat pumps can be more energy efficient than your standard gas furnace. Traditional gas furnaces are using fossil fuels that, more often than not, are not as energy-efficient as their greener counterparts. However, you can use an electric furnace that uses other fuel sources to avoid burning an excess of fossil fuels.
Price Of Installation
While heat pumps are far more energy-efficient than furnaces, this does come at the cost of, well, the price. Heat pumps are more expensive than furnaces, especially if your home is not outfitted to support a heat pump. Geothermal heat pumps are the most expensive given the amount of groundwork you need to invest in, so air source heat pumps are far more cost-effective. However, furnaces can be thousands of dollars cheaper than your air source heat pump.
Versatility
Furnaces and heat pumps differ in their versatility and functions because furnaces can heat your homes reasonably well, but that is all they can do. On the other hand, a heat pump can not only heat your home during the colder months, but heat pumps can cool your home. Using refrigerants, heat pumps can operate as a great source of cool air when your home is boiling.
At Weis Comfort Systems we know deciding which heating system is best for you can be overwhelming. Our team of pros can help determine what installation is most cost-effective and best for you overall. So give us a call at (636) 266-2290, and we’ll be happy to help you save money this season!
