If you need to replace the heating system in your home, one option to consider is installing a heat pump. Gas furnaces continue to be the most common source of heating in colder places like New England due to how effectively they heat. However, heat pumps are quickly starting to catch up as a result of all of the excellent benefits they provide.
Cooling and Heating in One
The thing that makes heat pumps unique among HVAC units is that they can provide air conditioning in the summer as well as heating in the winter. That means you only have to take care of one appliance instead of having separate cooling and heating units. A high-quality heat pump will usually cost a bit more to install than either a central AC or a furnace. But you’ll still save a few thousand dollars on installing a heat pump compared to what you’d pay to install both an air conditioner and a furnace. A heat pump may not last quite as long as other HVAC appliances, but it’s still your most cost-effective option.
During the summer, a heat pump cools exactly as an air conditioner does. That means you never need to worry about your house getting too hot. Heat pump technology has advanced to the point where it can also keep your home fully warm all winter. That’s why switching to a heat pump is one of the smartest investments you can make for your year-round comfort.
Reduced Heating Costs
One of the main reasons why so many homeowners are now switching from heating with a gas furnace to using a heat pump is that you can heat your home for much less with a heat pump. Even the best gas furnace is only around 98% efficient, meaning some energy always goes to waste. Most heat pumps, on the other hand, are around 300% to 400% efficient when operating in optimal conditions. That means they produce three to four times the amount of heat compared to the amount of electricity they use.
A heat pump’s energy efficiency does decrease the colder the outdoor air temperature is. Nonetheless, even in below-zero conditions, a heat pump will almost always work more efficiently and use less energy than a furnace. Depending on the make and model of the heat pump you install, you could easily reduce your yearly heating costs by at least a third or a half. However, you also have to consider the difference in how much you pay for electricity and natural gas. If your electricity rates are far higher, you may not save all that much with a heat pump compared to what you’d pay to heat your house with a furnace.
Heat pumps are able to work so efficiently because they transfer heat instead of directly producing it. The refrigerant in the system pulls in heat from outside. Before getting pumped into the house, the now warm refrigerant is first compressed. This makes it boil, and its temperature skyrockets to around 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. All this stored heat then gets transferred inside and released to heat the air continually flowing through the air handler.
Most cold-climate heat pumps can continue working in conditions as cold as -15 degrees, and some can even run until the temperature drops to -22 degrees. That means you’ll rarely need to worry about it being too cold for your heat pump to heat your house. The other thing to understand about cold-climate heat pump systems is that they have electric heat strips within the air handler inside the house. These strips function as a backup or auxiliary source of heating in case it’s ever too cold for the heat pump to run, or the appliance suddenly breaks down. They can also provide supplementary heating and run along with the heat pump in situations where you need to heat your house by more than a few degrees.
Safer Heating
Gas furnaces and any type of electric resistance heating can create a major safety hazard. The biggest risk with electric resistance heating is that the coils get so hot that they can easily cause nearby objects to catch on fire. There is less of a risk of a gas furnace starting a fire, but it does happen occasionally.
Another serious concern if you have a gas furnace is the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning. Although the combustion fumes the furnace produces normally get vented directly outside, there can be issues that result in carbon monoxide escaping. This can happen because the exhaust flue is obstructed or the flue gets damaged or wasn’t installed correctly. An even more serious issue arises if the furnace’s heat exchanger cracks. In this case, carbon monoxide can mix with the hot air coming out of the furnace and then blow into every room in the house.
If you have a heat pump, you never need to worry about carbon monoxide issues since the system produces no exhaust fumes. You typically won’t need to worry about it starting a fire. There’s a remote chance of the system developing an electrical issue that could lead to a fire, though. This risk is extremely minimal, especially if you make sure to have a professional inspect and service your heat pump system twice a year.
Lower Carbon Footprint
Switching to a heat pump can be one of the best ways to lower your carbon footprint and make your home more eco-friendly. Running a gas furnace all winter long results in releasing a lot of carbon emissions into the environment. Since heat pumps run on electricity only, they produce no emissions directly. This isn’t to say that a heat pump always offers a carbon-neutral source of heating since carbon emissions are often still released when producing the electricity to run the heat pump. However, if your electricity comes from renewable energy sources, your heat pump will provide carbon-neutral heating.
Available Tax Credits and Rebates
There is currently a federal tax credit program that incentivizes homeowners to install high-efficiency HVAC units. This program started in 2023 and will run through 2032. You can earn the credit when you have a certified HVAC company install any ENERGY STAR-rated gas furnace, central air conditioner or heat pump. However, furnaces and air conditioners are eligible for no more than a $600 credit each. If you install a heat pump instead, you can get a credit worth up to $2,000. Many electricity providers also provide rebates to their customers when they install a new heat pump or switch from gas heating to a heat pump.
Since 1995, Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. has been assisting residential and light commercial customers in Canterbury and Nashua, NH and the surrounding areas with all their indoor comfort needs. If you’re considering making the switch to a heat pump, we have a variety of outstanding options that can meet your home’s or business’s heating and cooling needs.
For more information on the heat pumps we offer, or to get help deciding if a heat pump is right for you, contact us at Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. today.
