Heat Pump vs Furnace If you?re in the market for home heating, you have two main choices: a heat pump or a furnace. At one time, this was a fairly simple decision based on climate. If you lived in a region with mild weather, a heat pump was a better choice, while those living in […]
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Heat Pump vs Furnace
If you?re in the market for home heating, you have two main choices: a heat pump or a furnace. At one time, this was a fairly simple decision based on climate. If you lived in a region with mild weather, a heat pump was a better choice, while those living in colder areas needed a furnace. Today, though, many heat pumps are designed to work in temperatures well below freezing. Here?s what you should know about heat pumps and furnaces, and how to choose between them.
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Heat pumps
Heat pumps work by moving heat around, much like an air conditioner with a reverse cycle. During the hot summer, the heat pump removes warm air from your home, cooling it down. In the winter, the heat pump sends warm air into your home to heat it.
All heat pumps have two energy efficiency ratings: the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) and the HSPF (Heating Season Performance Factor). These numbers are found by dividing the cooling or heating output of the unit, respectively, by how much electrical energy it consumes. Higher numbers indicate better energy efficiency.
Types of heat pumps
Heat pumps are ...