Is it hard for you to decide if you will use a heat pump or furnace for your home heating needs? The winter season is just around the corner and soon, there will be a need to heat up your home. As the temperature falls outside, you need to make sure that your home will be toasty warm during the holidays.

When the climate becomes too cold, there are two options for you to heat your home: a heat pump or a furnace. Understanding both of these will help you decide which is the best way to provide enough warmth for your home.

Heat pump for your home heating

Basically, a heat pump uses electricity to generate heat for your home. It pulls the air from the outside and transfers the heat to bring warmth into your house – like the reverse of an air conditioning unit. This is why it can help you save a lot of money. You just have to buy one versatile unit that can cool your home in the summer and heat it during the winter months.

But that is not the only thing that will help you save money. The fact that it is run by electricity makes heat pumps more energy-efficient. With the right model, you can enjoy a lower energy bill despite having it run non-stop during the winter season. That also means there will be no carbon monoxide leaks from it.

Another advantage of using the heat pump is that it is easier to install. You can enjoy its heating capabilities in no time at all. Not only that, but it is also very quiet.

When a heat pump circulates air, it will be humid air that goes around the house. That means it will not dry out your skin.

While all of these make a heat pump ideal, it does have a couple of problems. For one, the heating will be slower and more gradual. If the temperature goes below freezing, this might not be enough to heat your home. It will either make the heat pump work harder and consume more energy or it will not produce enough heat. This is why your location is an important consideration if you will choose to use a heat pump to heat your home.

Furnace for your home heating

The other option for heating your home is a furnace. This burns fuel that generates that heat that will warm your house. The way it generates heat makes it effective in producing more warmth.

A furnace is made of 4 components. You have the burner, heat exchanger, blower, and the flue (or the exhaust). Most of its parts are not moving so the chances of repair will be minimal – or at least not as frequent compared to a heat pump.

For fuel, it uses either gas or oil as fuel. There are also types of hybrid furnaces that can burn both.

Apart from producing more heat, furnaces are also cheaper to buy compared to a heat pump. Of course, the final price will depend on the size and features of the furnace that you will buy. The bigger the furnace and the more sophisticated features means it will be more expensive.

If you live in a place where the temperature goes below freezing, this is the better option for you. Heating your home will be faster. It is also easier to sustain the right amount of warmth that will make everyone feel comfortable.

When it comes to the disadvantages, the burning fuel will emit carbon monoxide. Make sure there will be no leaks. A furnace can also make your skin feel dry. The heat it generates will dry the air in your home – affecting the level of moisture. It is possible that this will cause health issues. This is why you need to look for something to bring up the humidity in your home.

Obviously, this cannot be used to cool the air in your home. So you still need to have a separate cooling unit in your home to help regulate the temperature during the hot summer months.

How to choose?

When choosing the right way of heating your home, there are a couple of important considerations. First of all, you need to consider your location. If your area has a tendency of becoming really cold, you might want to get a furnace. But if not, a heat pump should suffice. After all, the latter is more cost-efficient. You can use it as an air conditioning unit when it is too hot outside.

The size of your home is also worth considering. It will define how big you want the furnace or heat pump to be. If you have a big home, a furnace might be better at heating the whole place.

Your budget, of course, should also be considered. If you have the funds to spare, you might want to get a furnace with a lot of great features. Take note that the cost of heating your home is not a one-time thing. You need to pay for it every month. So consider your monthly budget too.

If you need help making the right choice, or simply want to schedule regular maintenance of your home’s heating, make sure to contact us.