What’s the Difference between a Heat Pump and a Furnace?

04 Mar What’s the Difference between a Heat Pump and a Furnace?

SERVING AREAS OF BRISTOL, JOHNSON CITY, AND KINGSPORT TN

When it’s cold outside, a heating issue can be a disaster. Your family relies on a heat source to protect them from the elements during the coldest part of the year. At Thompson Electrical Service, we hope you never encounter a malfunction with your heating system, but like any other appliance or machine, some sort of breakdown is all but inevitable. We also believe that, in times like that, knowledge is power. In this article, we’ll help you gain a greater understanding of how your heating system works by explaining the differences between a heat pump and a central furnace—the two primary heating methods used in Kingsport homes.

How do I know whether I have a heat pump or a furnace?

This may seem like a simplistic question, but many homeowners actually do not know what type of heating system they have. First, check your thermostat. Is there an emergency heat system? If so, then you probably have a heat pump, which is typically located in a basement or cellar and consists of both an inside and outside unit. Discovering whether or not you have a furnace is as easy as checking your utility bills. If you have a gas bill, for instance, then you have a furnace to heat your home, as furnaces operate on natural gas.

Get the 4-1-1 on Furnaces

A furnace is the most common type of heating system used in homes. Furnaces create heat by burning natural gas, either through a pilot light or a hot surface igniter. Once triggered by the thermostat that heat is needed, the burner mixes the gas and air to produce a flame, which rises through the heat exchanger, where the blower motor disperses the hot air throughout the home. Meanwhile, the inducer motor removes the toxic fumes that are produced when natural gas burns and expels those fumes through a vent out of your home.

Here’s the scoop on heat pumps

If you have a heat pump, it’s powered by electricity rather than gas and operates in much the same way as a central air conditioner does during warm weather, only for the reverse effect in that it warms your home. Using Freon, just like a central AC does, the outside unit of the heat pump captures heat from the exterior air and from in the ground, then circulates it through your home via a fan, which operates when the heat pump compressor pumps refrigerant across the coils.

Heat Pumps vs. Furnaces: The Tale of the Tape

• Efficiency: Advantage, Heat pump. Because a heat pump is transporting heat that already exists into your home, rather than creating its own heat, it is more efficient than a furnace. Heat pumps also are capable of delivering more energy than they consume to do their work.
• Air quality: Tie. Heat pumps and furnaces maintain comparable levels of air quality. If air quality is a concern, consider investing in a whole-home air purifier or a fresh air ventilator.
• Power: Advantage, furnace. In periods of extreme cold, a heat pump might have trouble maintaining a consistent temperature because of the lack of heat outside. A furnace, however, can generate all the heat needed no matter how cold the weather.
• Comfort: Too close to call. It depends on your preference. Furnaces blow air that is hot and dry, whereas air circulating through a heat pump is more humid. Some people dislike that the air from a heat pump is cooler, while others prefer the heat pump because the heat has higher humidity levels.
• Durability: Advantage, furnace. With regular maintenance, a furnace can work well for 20 years or longer. Most heat pumps have an average lifespan of 15 years. Furnaces also require less maintenance because they only function when the weather is cold, and they have fewer mechanical parts, which lessens the overall chance of a malfunction or breakdown.

Which heating system is right for you?

Each home has different heating needs but, generally speaking, if you live in a mild climate like the one that exists in East Tennessee, a heat pump is going to be a better fit for your home. A heat pump is going to be able to handle the winters because they are milder, magnifying the advantages that come with choosing this heating system.

Whether you have a heat pump or a furnace, you can trust the pros at Thompson Electrical Service to maintain your heating system. We have experience in repair, installation, and maintenance for all sorts of heating systems, and we offer yearly maintenance contracts to ensure your system keeps running as it should throughout the year. We even offer an emergency repair service. To find out more or schedule a consultation with one of our technicians, call (423) 343-5726.