What Is the Difference Between a Heat Pump and a Furnace?

Posted by admin on November 22, 2019

Those who are looking to install a new heating system will likely wonder: What is better – a heat hump or a furnace? As you might suspect, the answer depends on your situation. So to begin, it is important to know how each system works.

It is easiest to understand the operation of a furnace. A furnace generates heat by burning oil or natural gas, or using electricity. The heat produced by the system is introduced to circulating air, which is then sent into the building.

Heat pumps, on the other hand, do not generate heat. They are like a reverse refrigerator in that they use electricity and refrigerant to transfer heat from the outdoors to the inside. The nice thing about heat pumps is that their operation can be reversed to cool down the building, whereas a furnace cannot do this.

Which System Is More Efficient?

Technology continues to evolve, and some of the most significant advances in recent years have involved the humble furnace. A couple of decades ago, furnaces were renowned for their inefficiency. However, modern furnaces can deliver a 98% efficiency rating, meaning that only 2% of the energy in any of the fuel which is burned is wasted.

Heat pumps on the other hand have the potential to be even more efficient, because all they are doing is transferring heat. They can achieve efficiency scores of 300 percent, meaning only one unit of electricity is required to move three units of heat. But don’t jump to conclusions based on those numbers!

If you live in an area where the temperature outside is extremely low, there is less heat available to draw in from outside, and so the efficiency of a pump system is dramatically reduced. In fact, in such scenarios, heat pumps will have to employ a less efficient backup heat source to ensure that the property remains warm.

Heat Pump vs Furnace – What to Choose?

Location is going to be a critical factor when it comes to making this decision. If your region is susceptible to extremes in temperature, furnaces will do better, as they are better at overcoming larger temperature differences.

If you live in an area where you have easy, cheap access to natural gas or electricity, then it often makes sense to choose a traditional furnace system. One other major factor is if you already have an air conditioning unit installed, as a heat pump would be redundant in that case.

Alternatively, if you do not have easy access to any natural gas lines, then a heat pump system may be the better choice. Although electricity is often more expensive than natural gas, the efficiency of a heat pump system can often counteract that additional expense. In many cases, owners of an electric heat pump system will save money when compared to an electric furnace. If your air conditioning unit is also coming near the end of its life, then a heat pump could deliver a two-for-the-price-of-one value.

As we said at the outset, there are many variables at play which make a simple answer to the “which is better?” question impossible – it depends on the situation.

If you are looking to install a new system at your Portland property, we will be happy to discuss the options available and help you come to a conclusion that is right for you.

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