There are many options for heating your home. As such, it helps to compare two at a time to narrow your choices. In this guide, we discuss the differences between a furnace and a heat pump.
What’s a Furnace?
A furnace consists of four main parts, including burners, heat exchangers, a blower and a flue that exhausts the byproducts of the fuel you use. This can impact your indoor air quality.
The burners deliver fuel to the furnace and burn it, while the exchanger is a metal shield between the blower and the combustion changer. The blower sends heated air through your ductwork to heat your home.
What’s a Heat Pump?
Heat pumps don’t create heat but rather transfer it from place to place. Not only can one heat your home in the winter, but it also keeps your home cool in the summer. This is an enormous benefit, as you don’t need separate units for heating and cooling.
Furnaces Cost More to Operate
Generating heat costs a lot more than simply transferring it, as a heat pump only needs a small amount of electricity to circulate refrigerant. The average winter heating cost with a propane-powered furnace is $1,550, while the average annual heating cost with an electric heat pump is only $500.
Heat Pumps Need Less Space
Furnaces take up a lot of space in your home due to fire safety codes that require a 30-inch clearance on all sides. On the other hand, a heat pump requires only 24 inches of clearance around the outdoor unit. This is because it doesn’t generate heat or use a combustible fuel source.
If you’re ready to switch to a heat pump for your heating and cooling needs, now’s the time to act. Contact us at Complete Heat and Air for your heating installation and HVAC maintenance needs.
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