Is a heat pump right for your home?
Are you in the market for a brand-new cooling system? Winter is slowly winding down, and spring is just around the corner. Now is the time to start thinking about scheduling an appointment if you are looking into a replacement.
When you are looking around for the right system for your home, make sure you explore all of your options. These include high-efficiency and standard-efficiency equipment, packaged units and split units, and heat pumps and air conditioners. To make your decision a little bit easier, we want to talk about heat pumps.
Here are a list of pros and cons that can help you make the decision to buy a heat pump or a gas furnace/air conditioner combo.
Cons:
Is natural gas less expensive than electricity in your town? Many areas of the United States enjoy low natural gas prices. Well, at least lower than the cost of electricity. If this is the case, a gas furnace may be the more cost effective heating method in your area.
While a heat pump can be effective down to low temperatures, it may have a more difficult time heating your home in colder weather. You may have to invest in a back-up heating method for those really cold days.
How long do you plan on being in your home? While a heat pump has a long lifespan, a gas furnace has a longer lifespan – up to 20 years.
Pros:
Operates like an air conditioner with the added benefit of heating. On the cooling side of things, air conditioners and heat pumps are essentially the same (with some tweaks of course to allow for heating operation).
Uses heat transfer to heat a home, not heat creation. Other electric heating methods, like heat strips or electric furnaces, must create original heat – using up more electricity in the process.
Heat pumps tend to be cleaner than a gas furnace. The byproduct of heat creation in a gas furnace may lower indoor air quality if not properly vented.
Carbon monoxide. Unlike a gas furnace, a heat pump does not run the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Is electricity less expensive than natural gas? If you live in an area where electricity rates are lower than natural gas, then it can be beneficial to use an electric heating method, and a heat pump in particular.
Is a heat pump sounding better and better to you? Make sure you get in touch with your local heating and air conditioning contractor for a consultation. They will be able to tell you if heat pumps are common for homes in your area. You’ll be surprised.
I agree that now is the time to start looking for a cooling system. Do your homework so you don’t have to buy in haste.
Great article on heat pumps, I am thinking of switching to natural gas.
Good read here. We currently use a AC unit with a gas furnace for heating. But being in the South it might be wise to consider a heat pump combo instead, since we don’t get THAT cold for too long. I work for a HVAC contractor here in TN so I might have to talk to him about this possibility for his clients in this area as well. Thanks for the idea!
That’s cool that heat pumps can be more energy efficient if electricity is less expensive then gas. My uncle just moved into a home without heating. I’ll have to find a heating contractor.