If you need a new heating system for your home, you may be comparing the pros and cons of electric heat pumps over gas furnaces. How do the two systems differ, and what makes one a better choice than the other? Perhaps the biggest difference is the fact that one uses electricity and the other uses gas.
Electric heat pumps are more efficient than gas furnaces because 100% of the energy your electric heat pump uses goes directly into producing heat for your home. A gas furnace loses up to a quarter of its fuel to combustion, meaning that less of the energy actually produces heat. If you’re interested in electric heat pumps in Farmington, NM, our team can help. In the meantime, you can keep reading to learn more about the benefits of an electric heat pump.
How Do Electric Heat Pumps Work?
An electric heat pump uses electricity to move heat from the outside into your home. Even when it’s cold outside, there is still some heat in the air that your heat pump can use. It does have a backup heat source for the coldest days of the year when temperatures are more extreme. Usually, this heating backup comes in the form of heating coils and a fan that blows the heated air into your home.
Benefits of Electric Heat Pumps
Gas furnaces are not 100% energy efficient because they lose some energy during the combustion process. This means that your gas furnace may use more energy to create the same amount of heat as your electric heat pump does.
An electric heat pump system offers the added benefit of both heating and cooling your home. If you have a gas furnace, you may need an alternate source for cooling during the summer. When you invest in an electric heat pump, you get an all-in-one system.
Safety Considerations
Choosing an electric heat pump over a gas furnace also offers some safety benefits. Natural gas lines are perfectly safe when they are secure, but if they leak they can be dangerous for your home and health. Natural gas does have a smell but carbon monoxide does not, so if you don’t have a carbon monoxide detector you may not know that your home has a leak.
A natural gas leak can cause your family to get ill and also poses fire hazards. You won’t face these same concerns with an electric heat pump.
Other Types of Heat Pumps
The benefits we’re highlighting here apply to forced air systems. These systems heat the air and then blow it through vents to distribute it throughout your home. Other types of heat pumps offer similar benefits to electric heat pumps.
For example, a geothermal heat pump offers the same benefits with even more energy efficiency. Ductless mini-split heat pumps are another option, but they cost more for initial installation. This particular type of heat pump system is more popular for commercial locations than residential homes.
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