When thinking of a heating system for your home, two options readily come to mind: heat pump or furnace. Since both perform the same function, making this decision can be confusing. This is especially true for folks who don’t know the differences between these systems.
To help you decide, we’ve written this article just for you. We’ll reveal the differences between furnaces and heat pumps in detail. At the end of this article, we believe you’ll be able to decide which one is best for your home. To get us started, let’s explain what a heat pump is…
Heat Pumps
When people think of heat pumps, they only think of a system designed for heating. Although these systems perform this function, they can also be used to cool your home when the weather is warm. Their basic working principle is that they transfer heat from one place to another. This can be from outside the home to inside the home and vice versa.
When performing heating functions, they pick up hotness from outside the house and then move it to the liquid refrigerant. This refrigerant is then moved to the heat exchanger or coil in the ductwork of your home. After this, air blows the exchanger or coil which is heated up and spread throughout your home.
Interestingly, they can still function when the air outside is below freezing temperature. However, they aren’t usually efficient; they do better with hot temperatures. The warmer the air outside, the more efficient these heating systems are.
Furnaces
The working principle of furnaces is quite simple. A burner is heated via electricity, natural gas, propane, or fuel oil. The generated hotness then moves to the heat exchanger in the house’s ductwork. A big fan in the ducts blows the heat exchanger thereby releasing heated air. Finally, this air is spread throughout your home.
Differences Between Heat Pumps and Furnaces
From the explanation of the working principles above, you might have noticed the similarities in purposes and components. However, that doesn’t mean they are the same. Therefore, in this section, we’ll discuss in detail the differences between both heating options.
Efficiency
Pumps transfer heat with little electricity. As such, they are regarded as very efficient. They only experience issues when the weather is very cold, or it is used in cold climates. In such conditions, they have to work more to warm your home. This is where they are less efficient than the other option.
Furnaces create the high temperature they disperse; however, the source determines the efficiency of the furnace. Natural gas takes the lead when compared to other sources. You can visit https://www.meenan.com/ to see a comparison of natural gas and propane as home fuels. Yet, it still falls short when compared to the efficiency of pumps.
So, which should you go for in this case? Heat pumps are more efficient and win this round. However, they don’t do so well in cold climates which means furnaces are better if you live in such climates.
Maintenance
The maintenance of heat pumps includes:
- Clearing the pump of snow and ice in winter months
- Removing debris, plants, and leaves around and on the device to ensure proper airflow
- Changing the air filters monthly
- Cleaning the coils as soon as they get dirty
The maintenance of furnaces includes:
- Changing the filter regularly
- Vacuuming the inside area of the unit
- Before the heating season, use a sandpaper piece to clean the furnace’s flame sensor
Generally, as you can see the former option requires more maintenance than the latter. Thankfully, they are routine maintenance you can do yourself. If you don’t like getting your hands dirty, you can hire professionals to do the job.
Lifespan
No one will want to replace a heating system with the way they change clothes. Therefore, the lifespan of the unit is very important when making a decision. Interestingly, both units have relatively long lifespans.
A well-maintained heat pump will last for 15 years. You may however have to replace some of the components at some points within this time. On the other hand, a furnace can last for 20 years when properly maintained. Their longer lifespan is due to the less complicated components and operation.
Appearance
If you are looking to maintain the aesthetics of your home and yard, furnaces are the better option. With heat pumps, you have to deal with the outside unit, and then if you’re using a mini-split, the indoor unit on the wall. You can read this article to learn how to blend or conceal the indoor unit. You don’t have to go to all that trouble with furnaces.
Furnaces after installation can simply be forgotten that they exist because you don’t get to see them. They are usually installed in utility rooms, attics, or basements. So, if you don’t have a large yard or want to maintain the aesthetics of your home, furnaces are better.
Conclusion
In the article above, we’ve discussed 4 differences between heat pumps and furnaces. We believe you now know which one best suit you and your home. While other factors depend on your preference, you need to consider efficiency carefully. We recommend you go for pumps if you live in warmer regions, and furnaces if you live in colder regions.
