Do you need help choosing between a furnace and a heat pump for your home? Are you seeking guidance on whether you need to pair both or not? Call Georgia Air today to schedule a consultation.
Heat pumps have come a long way in the last few decades. More people have accepted them as an eco-friendly option for heating and cooling. Meanwhile, furnaces are more efficient than ever. Most people still choose one or the other, but do you need a furnace with a heat pump?
Is there a world where it makes financial sense to have both, or should you just stick to one side of the divide?
Georgia Air, the top choice for furnace repair in Richmond Hill, will cover all the details in this post, including the key differences between these systems, how they work, and whether one or both would make the most sense for your home.
How Does a Furnace Work?
Furnaces create and distribute heat by burning natural gas, propane, or electricity. They feature many components that must work together to generate heat through combustion or burning electrical energy.
Many people are familiar with furnace systems because they’ve been the bedrock of heating setups in many homes and businesses.
Most people choose gas furnaces because they’re more affordable and easier to use than electric models. However, electric furnaces offer more eco-friendly heating and are generally quieter.
The Advantages of Furnace Systems
Many Georgians choose furnaces as the heating option for their homes for several reasons, including the following:
- Easy operation. Most people are accustomed to operating furnace systems. They understand how these furnaces work and can reasonably troubleshoot minor issues, making the consideration of something different feel like more trouble than it’s worth.
- Faster heating. Furnace systems can warm up an indoor space faster than any other heating option, all things being equal.
- Lower upfront costs. The initial installation cost for a furnace system is generally more affordable than what it would cost to install other heating options.
- Multiple fuel options. You can choose from various fuel options, including oil, electricity, and gas.
The Disadvantages of Furnace Systems
Homeowners across Georgia swear by their furnace systems, but they’re not without their downsides. The following are the biggest disadvantages of choosing a furnace:
- High ongoing costs. Since furnaces generate heat, they significantly impact your energy bill. Additionally, the components of the typical furnace system need regular maintenance to keep working optimally. Even then, they can break down.
- Inconsistencies in the heating. A furnace generates heat at intervals. Once your home reaches your desired temperatures, the system will shut down and only kick in again after the thermostat signals a temperature drop. Your home may not feel comfortable as consistently as you would like in such conditions.
- Poor indoor air quality. Furnaces transfer the warm air they generate through the ductwork and vents. Therefore, any pollutants in those channels will enter your indoor space. You may also need to install a dehumidifier because the furnace could lower humidity to problematic levels.
How Does a Heat Pump Work?
Heat pumps have grown in popularity largely because of their reputation as a more energy-efficient heating and cooling solution. Because they double as heating and cooling systems, heat pumps offer just the solution some homeowners are looking for.
Unlike other HVAC systems, heat pumps don’t generate heat by burning fuel. Instead, they transfer heat away from or into a space, depending on your chosen settings. In the hotter months of the year, your heat pump will draw heat from inside your home and send it outside.
When winter arrives, the heat pump will reverse function to collect heat from outside to distribute inside your home. Now, this part of the heat pump’s function is why many people ask, “Do you need a furnace with a heat pump?” How can it pull warm air from outside when there’s not much heat out there to begin with?
However, heat pump technology has developed in leaps and bounds over the last few years. These units are more efficient at delivering heat in colder temperatures.
The Advantages of Heat Pumps
The following are some of the key advantages of heat pumps:
- Lower utility bills. Although heat pumps have a higher upfront cost, you can recoup your investments fairly quickly over the years because the system pays for itself in monthly energy savings.
- Combined heating and cooling. Perhaps the biggest advantage of owning a heat pump is that you don’t need two separate heating and cooling systems. You’re getting a two-in-one system by choosing one of these.
- Tax rebates. You may qualify for federal or state tax rebates by choosing a heat pump over a furnace.
- Stability in comfort levels. Heat pumps consistently circulate warm air throughout an indoor space. They guarantee more consistent comfort through the winter.
- Lower maintenance system. The technology behind a heat pump is sophisticated but not as complex as a furnace system. Therefore, it doesn’t need as much maintenance and won’t break down as frequently.
The Disadvantages of Heat Pumps
Heat pumps have their downsides. The disadvantages of choosing one of these include the following:
- Higher upfront costs. A new heat pump will cost more to install than a comparable furnace system.
- Incompatibility with frigid weather. People in colder climates may struggle to rely solely on their heat pumps when outdoor temperatures drop below freezing.
Understanding Furnace and Heat Pump Compatibility
Furnace and heat pump systems aim to accomplish the same thing in winter: keep an indoor space warm. Both go different ways toward achieving that goal. But can they work together? Yes, they can.
You can install both for your home. They can sit in different parts of the house, and you can use either depending on your needs.
Most homeowners who use heat pumps and furnaces together rely on their heat pumps mostly for energy efficiency. Beyond that, they use their furnaces as a kind of backup in case of certain conditions.
Do You Really Need a Furnace With a Heat Pump?
To anyone asking, “Do you need a furnace with a heat pump?” the right answer is, “It depends.” If you want the best of both worlds, you might go with what many other homeowners have done by using them together as the situation demands, but it’s not always a straightforward argument.
The following are some of the factors that will influence your decision:
Your Personal Preferences
Do you like the idea of putting the bulk of your HVAC needs on one system? Remember, whenever something is wrong with your heat pump, you’re essentially fixing your heating and cooling systems. If you’re not happy with that thought, you’ll want to consider combining a heat pump and furnace.
Also, you must decide what you value the most: your comfort or energy savings. If you want the highest possible energy savings every single time, stick with your heat pump.
The Local Climate
People in frigid temperatures might want to keep a furnace on standby for those snowstorms that might overwhelm even the sturdiest heat pump. Then again, we don’t get those kinds of conditions in Georgia. Winter lows here hover around the 40s, and they rarely last long.
Of course, climate change could bring record cold snaps next winter. But at the moment, there’s no justification for most Georgians to pair their heat pump with a furnace.
Your Home Size and Type
Heat pumps work perfectly for small to medium-sized homes with good insulation. However, they may struggle to maintain consistent temperatures in larger homes with poor insulation. In the latter scenario, you’ll be better off pairing the heat pump with a furnace.
The Benefits of Pairing a Furnace With a Heat Pump
The following are some of the biggest advantages of having a heat pump and a furnace:
- Improved energy efficiency. A hybrid system will optimize energy usage for the prevailing conditions outside, lowering energy consumption.
- Maximum comfort. Your heat pump can work consistently in moderate conditions to keep your home warm, while the furnace will be on standby for extreme conditions. The result is year-round comfort for your family.
- Lower carbon footprint. Adopting a hybrid system that only requires marginal reliance on a furnace is a great way to lower your home’s carbon footprint.
Get Expert Advice From Georgia Air in Richmond Hill
The usage of an HVAC system is a highly subjective topic. What works for one homeowner may not work for another, even in the same area.
The surest way to get a personalized answer to “Do you need a furnace with a heat pump?” is to request advice from experienced HVAC technicians like our team here at Georgia Air.
We’ll review your home situation, preferences, and other factors before recommending the right approach. Our technicians can install all types of furnaces and heat pumps.
Call the Georgia Air team in Richmond Hill, GA, today at (912) 513-3361 to get answers to any further questions and schedule a consultation.