If you’re in the market for a new heating system, you have many options to choose from. Two of the most popular these days are furnaces and heat pumps. Our team at Chancey Heating & Cooling can help you compare these systems, so you can determine which one is right for your home.

What Is a Furnace?

A furnace is a heating system that can run on electricity, natural gas, propane, or heating oil. Furnaces that run on electricity have internal heating elements that generate heat. A blower fan circulates air over the hot elements. Heat will then move into your various living spaces.

Furnaces that run on natural gas, propane, and oil use the process of combustion. A flame burns the fuel and creates heat. The burning fuel vents through a heat exchanger on its way out of your house. Toxic fumes are dangerous when they build up inside. The heat exchanger warms up, and air passes around it. This causes the heat to transfer into the air. Your ductwork then delivers the hot air throughout your home.

What Is a Heat Pump?

Another common type of residential heating system is a heat pump. A heat pump provides both heating and cooling for a home. It has two main components, which are the indoor air handler(s) and the outdoor condenser.

In winter, the outdoor condenser uses its blower fan to draw in air from the outdoors. Air is forced over the condenser coil, where heat is extracted from the air and transferred into the refrigerant inside the coil. The compressor pump inside your condenser is constantly circulating the refrigerant from the outdoor unit to the indoor air handler unit and back.

Once the hot refrigerant gets to your indoor air handler unit, air from inside your home is blown over the evaporator coil. Heat from the refrigerant inside the evaporator coil naturally transfers into the air as it passes over it. The warm air circulates throughout your home to improve comfort.

Determining Operating Efficiency

When purchasing any new heating system for your home, one of your biggest concerns should be operating efficiency. The more efficient a unit is, the less energy or fuel you must input to get hot air. This leads to lower utility bills as compared to a unit that’s inefficient.

Electric furnaces have an operating efficiency of 100%. Standard gas, propane, and oil furnaces offer efficiency of 80%-85%. High-efficiency condensing models can reach efficiency levels of 90%-98% for a premium price. Standard heat pumps offer 200%-300% operating efficiency.

The Up-Front Cost

When it comes to the up-front purchase price, electric furnaces are typically the most affordable. Fuel-burning furnaces come next, and heat pumps tend to be the most expensive. You may qualify for tax incentives and rebates to help offset the cost of your investment.

Considering Equipment Lifespan

Electric furnaces have a usable lifespan of 20-30 years. Fuel-burning furnaces last 15-20 years. Heat pumps have a lifespan of 10-15 years. You may want to invest in a more affordable system if you plan on moving soon. If you plan on staying in your residence long-term, consider investing in something that can last many years while retaining its efficiency.

Achieving Home Comfort

When comparing furnaces and heat pumps, consider their use throughout the year. Furnaces are beneficial for cold winter weather, but you’ll need a separate air conditioning system to keep your home comfortable in the summer.

A heat pump can heat your home in the wintertime or cool it in the summertime. Heat pumps cool by reversing their process to extract heat from inside your home and transport it outside. This allows for simplicity when purchasing new equipment. You purchase only one system with a heat pump instead of purchasing two systems when opting for a furnace.

Scheduling Routine Maintenance

Both heat pumps and furnaces need routine maintenance to stay in good working condition. You need to routinely change your air filter and keep all your air vents completely clean and free from obstructions. A heat pump will require a bit more maintenance. You’ll also need to check the outdoor condenser unit routinely.

It’s important to remove any debris like leaves that blow up against the unit, as they can restrict airflow and reduce performance. Both furnaces and heat pumps need professional maintenance to ensure efficiency and reliability, and to maintain warranty coverage. A furnace needs service once a year. A heat pump will need service in the spring and again in the fall to prepare it for the summer and winter seasons.

Expert Heating System Installation Service

Chancey Heating & Cooling offers expert heating system installation services for the Douglas, GA area. We can also assist with all your heating replacement, repair, and maintenance needs.

Call our office today to book your next service consultation with one of our friendly HVAC technicians at Chancey Heating & Cooling in Douglas.