Conventionally, you have three choices: a furnace, a heat pump, or hybrid heating. Each system has its pros and cons, and none of them are really all that better than the other. The decision you make will have to be based on your personal circumstances.
So what kind of circumstances are going to affect that decision? Well, when you break down how each system works, and learn the advantages and disadvantages of each, everything comes together quite nicely and makes perfect sense. We’ll start with Furnaces.
Furnaces are probably the most common way to heat your home. Gas is burned up, heat is created, and then it’s pushed into the air throughout your house. The heat created here is more penetrating than what you’ll get from a heat pump, so you’ll notice temperature changes faster and can stay comfortable for longer. The only issue is that you are still needing to burn fossil fuels. If you live in an area where gas is expensive, or natural gas lines aren’t accessible, a furnace might not actually be the best option.
A heat pump is going to be presented to you as a more efficient option. Instead of burning up fuel, heat pumps utilize electricity to pull the warm air from the outdoors, and filter it into your home. The heat is more orss being transferred, rather than being created. This process uses less energy and is also a good way to save some money on your heating bill. The issue with heat pumps arises when the air outside gets too cold. They have to work too hard to transfer warm air into the home, so in the grit of the winter, a heat pump would actually be less efficient than a gas furnace.
Hybrid heating is what gives you the best of both worlds. You are basically combining both systems to run in your home, each one handing off the heating responsibilities when required. This means during the transitions in and out of summer, your heat pump will be working with efficiency to keep your home warm. However, during that winter period when it is too cold outside for the heat pump to be efficient, your furnace will take over and start burning gas to heat the home.
Hybrid heating is absolutely going to be more expensive upon installation. On the other hand, you will not be paying extra money to compensate for your heating system’s inability to keep you comfortable. You are paying for a system that uses the pros of both the furnace and the heat pump, while canceling out the cons.
If you are thinking about installing a hybrid system, consider how long you plan on being in that particular home, and calculate if the investment is going to pay off. If you are only planning on staying there for a year, then having an expensive hybrid system installed is probably not very frugal. However, keep in mind that in most cases, hybrid heating will improve the value of a home. So even if you only plan to stay for two or three years, it might actually pay off to spend the money on an installation, and enjoy the payback through smaller heating bills and a better selling price for the home.
If you’re ready to install, or just want to get some more questions answered, we would love for you to give us a call! Arco Home Services has a staff of professionals who are more than willing to talk to you about your situation and make suggestions on what might work best.
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