There are pros and cons of using a heat pump in winter
Are you currently weighing the costs and benefits of a heat pump? Well, an important thing to keep in mind is how your heat pump will fair during the colder months. In some areas, a heat pump paired with an air handler may make more sense, while in others your heat pump may need to be paired with a powerful back-up heating method (like a gas furnace).
There are pros and cons of using a heat pump in your year-round heating and cooling method. Here are some things you should keep in mind when having a heat pump installed in your home.
- Pro: No gas line, no problem! Generally, if you aren’t going to pair your air conditioner with an electric furnace (or air handler) you are going to go with a gas furnace – if we’re talking about split systems. If you don’t currently have a gas line leading to your home, a gas furnace may e out of the question financially.
- Con: Power and cost. If you live somewhere that sees temperatures below freezing frequently, you may want to consider pairing your heat pump with a gas furnace. At a certain point, it may no longer be cost effective to pull heat out of the outdoor air. Of course, there’s never going to be a point in time where there is NO heat to extract from the outdoor air. But, it may not be economically feasible.
- Pro: More efficient than other electric heating methods. Heat transfer and heat creation are two very different things. Heat transfer is what a heat pump uses, and it is the more efficient heating method under certain climate conditions.
- Con: Time to heat your home. Because there is less heat in the outdoor air during the winter, it can take longer for your home to reach your set temperature.
- Pro: Comes in a wide range of options. Luckily, heat pumps come in a range of efficiency, sizes and setups so you can ensure that the system you have installed in your home is the ideal option. And, if a heat pump with an air handler doesn’t feel like it’s going to cut it during the winter, you can always pair your heat pump with a gas furnace.
Still not sure whether a heat pump is best for your home during the winter? Call your local heating and air conditioning specialist. They will help you design a heating and air system that best meets your needs.
Do you have a heat pump? How does it fair in winter in your area?
