Choosing the right HVAC system for your home can seem daunting, with so many options available — gas and electric furnaces, air-source heat pumps, and more.

Reliable HVAC is a necessity in the North Carolina climate, where weather runs the full spectrum from sweltering hot to freezing cold. If you’re deciding between a furnace and a heat pump, Comfort First Heating & Cooling wants to help you understand your options and make an informed decision.

How Do Heat Pumps Work?

Heat pumps work like an air conditioner in reverse to heat your home:

• Outdoor air is blown over the heat exchanger in the outdoor unit, causing the refrigerant liquid to turn to gas.
• The gas moves through the compressor and causes the temperature to rise.
• The heated gas passes through the indoor heat exchanger and is blown through ductwork throughout a home.
• The cycle repeats until the home reaches the temperature setting on the thermostat.

Heat pumps are the most energy-efficient heating option because they don’t directly generate heat; they pump it indoors. Even if it’s extremely cold, heat still exists in outdoor air.

In the summer, the heat pump absorbs heat inside a home and uses refrigerant to transfer and release it outdoors.

How Do Furnaces Work?

A gas furnace burns fuel to generate heat in the burner, which passes through the heat exchanger. Air is blown over the heat exchanger to warm the air. Alternatively, electric furnaces pull air into the system and through the heat exchanger, where it’s warmed by electric heating elements.

No matter what type of furnace you’re considering, they all work similarly after this point. The blower forces the heated air through ductwork throughout the home.

Factors That Affect Whether You Should Choose a Heat Pump or a Furnace

Both technologies remain popular for a variety of reasons. Choose the right HVAC system for your home based on these factors:

Installation Costs

As a general rule, you should expect to pay more to install a heat pump than a furnace of similar capacity, unless you’re adding a gas furnace to a home without gas plumbing. However, the cost of a heat pump installation is comparable to the cost of installing a furnace and air conditioner simultaneously.

Energy Efficiency

When comparing energy efficiency, there is simply no comparison. Heat pumps can achieve 300% to 400% efficiency, meaning they generate 3 to 4 times as much heat energy as the electricity they use. Heat pumps become less efficient as temperatures drop, but modern heat pumps operate well at much lower temperatures than their predecessors.

Modern gas furnaces are also more efficient than older units, converting more than 81% of energy into heat energy. High-efficiency gas furnaces can even go as high as 90% to 97% AFUE. Electric furnaces always have 100% AFUE because there’s no combustion process.

Heating & Cooling Capability

Heat pumps can cool and heat, which can be a money saver, while furnaces need to be paired with a central air conditioner to maintain year-round comfort. However, furnaces can generate hotter air faster than heat pumps in terms of pure heating potential.

System Lifespan

Gas furnaces last for 15 to 20 years, while electric furnaces can last for 20 to 30 years. On average, heat pumps last for 15 years, which makes sense considering they’re keeping homes comfortable full-time instead of half the year, like furnaces.

Air Quality

No matter what type of heating system you have, changing your air filters every three months is paramount to home health. Other than that, heat pumps and electric furnaces both have minimal effects on air quality.

Gas furnaces, however, carry the risk of carbon monoxide buildup and natural gas leaks if they’re not routinely maintained. Both are severe health hazards and should be resolved as soon as possible,

What is Dual-Fuel Heating?

Dual-fuel heating refers to a system that pairs a furnace with a heat pump so that you can enjoy the efficiency of a heat pump most of the time and get strong furnace heat on the coldest days. It’s a good option for homeowners concerned with extreme weather.

Comfort First Will Help You Choose the Best HVAC System for Your Home

When it’s time to choose an HVAC system, work with the experts at Comfort First Heating & Cooling to find the ideal system. Heat pumps are great for our climate, and they’re environmentally friendly without compromising comfort. Electric furnaces are still energy-efficient and cost-effective options thanks to low electricity costs in North Carolina. If you already have a gas furnace in your home, replacing it with a new gas furnace is still an easy and cost-effective option.

If you can request a heat pump or furnace installation in the Triangle, Triad, Charlotte, Outer Banks, or Jacksonville, call Comfort First at 800-279-4822 today.