Heat Pumps vs. Furnaces: Which Is Best for Your Home?

Technology is rapidly changing when it comes to heating and cooling appliances, but how does that affect the way you stay warm? To answer that, let’s compare heat pumps vs. furnaces: which is best for your home? 

Glenmont Air Conditioning & Heating’s 40-year history of excellence reveals how passionate we feel about helping homeowners make the best cooling and heating decisions. Below, discover the difference between a heat pump and a furnace so that you can confidently consider your next upgrade.

Heat Pump vs. Furnace: How They Differ

First, let’s look at the functional side of heating a home. 

A furnace heats air using electrical power and heating coils or a gas-fueled flame. The way a furnace works is quite straightforward. The process also chews through a lot of energy.

Heat pumps don’t directly perform this function, but rather, they transfer hot air from outside, even in supposedly cold weather. The pumps operate using a refrigerant, much like an air conditioner. By changing the pressure of the refrigerant during its heating cycle, the heat pump can extract hot air from outdoor temperatures as low as 40 degrees.

Unlike a furnace, heat pumps can also reverse the process to cool down your home rather than heat it.

When You Should Install a Heat Pump

Can a heat pump provide sufficient heating for you? It can – in any of the following situations:

You Live in a Temperate Climate

So, heat pumps vs. furnaces: Which is best for your home? Location is the biggest determiner about which home heating systems you can use.

The heat pump experiences considerable performance issues when the temperature drops below 40 degrees. If you live in an area with milder winters, you’ll love having a heat pump.

You Have Safety Concerns

One of the best heat pump benefits includes its safety advantages, especially over a gas furnace. 

A gas furnace leak leaves your home vulnerable to health concerns or even an explosion. Because heat pumps use electricity, they’re much less volatile.

You Need Higher Energy Efficiency

While furnace efficiency has the advantage when it comes to time spent heating your home, heat pumps don’t use that much fuel for the heat they provide. 

Pumps use less energy than they transfer. A furnace loses energy in the process. You won’t pay as much to operate a heat pump.

When You Should Prioritize a Furnace

You should opt for a furnace if any of the following situations apply:

• You need heating performance that values speed over efficiency.
• You must prioritize short-term savings.
• You live in an area with freezing winters.

Schedule Services for Your Heating System Today

Given the details above, there’s only one thing to decide about heat pumps vs. furnaces: which is best for your home? 

If you still have questions about an HVAC issue or installation choice, Glenmont Air Conditioning & Heating’s family-owned business has the answers. Fill out our online form or call (301) 468-2665 today!