You might not think about heating your home in the desert, but the cool temperatures on winter nights will put a nip in the air. As you look into heating options, you’ll see a lot of discourse about a heat pump vs. a furnace in Arizona. Which is better, and how will they save you money?

Veterans AC PHX offers cooling and heating services in New River, AZ. Keep reading to learn the difference between these systems and how you can use them to your advantage.

Heat Pump vs. Furnace: The Overview

When comparing a heat pump vs. a furnace, you need to understand both systems well to determine which one will work better for your needs. The systems are quite different from each other, and one may meet your needs perfectly but not work for others.

Furnaces

Furnaces are the most common heating systems in residential and commercial buildings. They’re pretty cost-effective and work well no matter how cold they get. Furnaces can use three types of fuel:

  • Propane furnaces are the most efficient, but expensive fuel makes the savings almost nonexistent.
  • Natural gas is cheaper than propane, allowing you significant savings.
  • You don’t have to worry about carbon monoxide leaks with electric furnaces, but they can’t warm up as well as propane and natural gas heaters.

Furnaces work by creating heat, meaning they use up a lot of energy to keep your house warm. On unusually cold winter nights, you’re bound to see your electricity and gas bills jump up.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are a lot different than furnaces because they don’t generate heat. Instead, they use refrigerant like an air conditioner to absorb heat, run it through the compressor, and remove it from the home. Or, they’ll remove heat from the outdoors and release it in your home to warm it up.

This reversible operation allows the single unit to cool and warm your home all year long. Depending on your comfort needs, you may be able to use a single heat pump instead of a furnace and air conditioner.

There are three types of heat pumps:

  • Air source that pulls heat from the air
  • Gas source that uses gas to increase how much heat it produces
  • Ground source that pulls heat from the ground

Factors to Consider About a Heat Pump vs. Furnace

There are several aspects about a heat pump vs. furnace to consider if you’re trying to choose which one is right for you. Your usage and needs will determine how much money and energy you can save with one or the other.

Installation and Usage Costs

Furnaces and heat pumps have different factors affecting their overall costs from the day you install them to the day you replace them. Consider:

  • Tax incentives: Energy-efficient furnaces and most heat pumps can earn you rebates and other incentives for choosing to go green.
  • Energy usage: A heat pump’s heat exchange system uses far less energy than a furnace since it doesn’t have to create heat to warm your home.
  • Maintenance: Both types of systems need maintenance, but you may need it less often with a heat pump. However, heat pump maintenance tends to be more expensive than furnaces.
  • Repairs: Heat pumps may develop issues with the defrost cycle, while furnaces could have an exhaust problem. Both have issues that will need resolving.

Performance

Many heat pumps can’t work once temperatures drop below freezing, but this is rarely an issue in New River, AZ. However, a furnace will always work since it creates heat rather than relies on existing heat.

Life Expectancy

With diligent maintenance and repairs, furnaces can last up to 20 years, and heat pumps will last up to 15. If you intend to stay in the same house for decades, consider the life expectancy, replacement, and installation costs and how often you may need to repair them.

Energy Efficiency

Heat pumps are far more energy-efficient, but furnaces have come a long way in recent years and now have high energy efficiency ratings. If you can’t swing the cost of heat pumps, you can still make environmentally conscious choices with furnaces.

Ask Veterans AC PHX About Heating Options in New River, AZ

Heat pump vs. furnace: who wins? It really depends on your preferences and budget. If you don’t want to take chances on unusually cold evenings, a heat pump may not be for you. But if you fear carbon monoxide poisoning, furnaces will be a nightmare.

Contact us today to speak with a knowledgeable technician. They’ll help you pinpoint what will work best for your wallet and lifestyle.