New Hampshire winters get extremely chilly. That’s why it’s so important to be comfortable in your home with the right heating system. However, there are so many on the market, making it hard to choose. Here’s how to pick between a heat pump vs. furnace!
Heat Pump vs. Furnace: The Basics
Furnaces and heat pumps both essentially do the same thing, which is to make indoor air warm and comfortable during the cold season. However, they are different in many ways. They require different maintenance and take up different amounts of space. They also have different energy efficiencies and heating abilities.
How a Heat Pump Works
The outdoor component of a heating and cooling system is a heat pump. It can supply heat in the winter and cooling in the summer. It accomplishes this by transferring heat from indoor to outdoor air during the hot season. It transfers heat energy from outdoor to indoor air during the cold season.
Compared to more conventional means of heating, heat pumps are less expensive to operate. They are an economical and environmentally beneficial choice due to their energy efficiency. A heat pump will cost more upfront to install, but the energy savings and convenience of having a single heating and cooling system make the investment worthwhile.
How a Furnace Works
A furnace is a type of heater used to distribute heat evenly across your home. It uses combustion to heat water or air. Some furnaces heat the air by burning materials like coal, wood, or oil. However, the more typical fuel sources for furnaces are either natural gas or propane.
What Will Heat Best During The Cold New Hampshire Winter?
The short answer to this question is that the furnace will provide more powerful heating than the heat pump. This is because it has more heating capacity. Traditional heat pumps use the thermal energy from the cold air to heat the home, but only to a certain point. The heat pump will send cold air into your home when the temperature falls below 25 degrees Fahrenheit, which, of course, sounds horrible!
This is why conventional heat pumps are recommended more for states with milder temperatures or for supplemental energy-efficient heating. However, you can still use a heat pump in extreme temperatures that go down into the negatives, and here’s how!
Mitsubishi created Hyper-Heat pumps that can function at much colder temperatures than standard heat pumps. When the temperature reaches 5 degrees, Hyper-Heat (H2i) begins to operate at a heating capacity of up to 100%. Even at -13 degrees, it still manages to heat the room.
Consider the actual temperatures you experience rather than the wind chill or “feels like” temperatures when contrasting the Hyper-Heat pump with traditional heat pumps. Your heat pump will continue to work efficiently even if the outside temperature is actually 34 degrees but feels like 20.
So taking this into account, a Hyper-Heat pump is a great option for cold New Hampshire winters. However, a furnace works great as well, and is tried and true. Here are some pros and cons that will make the answer clearer of whether a heat pump or furnace is right for you!
Pros and Cons
The best way to choose between a heat pump vs. furnace is to weigh the pros and cons and decide which pros you need and which cons you’re willing to live with.
Heat Pump Pros
One of the main benefits of heat pumps is their energy-efficiency. Using a heat pump year round can yield massive energy savings, which is much easier on the wallet. This will depend on the heat pump model you use and it may be a lot cheaper to run than a gas furnace depending on the gas model as well.
Another pro is that a heat pump can provide heating and cooling all in one system. This is great because it takes up less space in your household and only needs at least 24 inches of clearance, compared to a gas furnace’s minimum of 30.
Heat Pump Cons
There are a few cons to getting a heat pump in New Hampshire. Firstly, the cost is higher upfront. If you’re going for supplemental heating, a conventional heat pump will be more budget-friendly. However, if you want powerful heating for colder temperatures, a Hyper-Heat pump will present a higher upfront cost.
Secondly, heat pumps typically have lower heating capacity, as explained earlier. Again, you may need Hyper-Heat if you’re relying on this heat pump to warm your home in a cold winter. Since many people use a heat pump year round, they last 10 to 15 years, a little less than a gas furnace.
Furnace Pros
The average gas furnace lasts 15 to 20 years, which can be double what a heat pump lasts. These are very sturdy heating systems. They are also very effective at heating both air and water. In the coldest temperatures, gas heat is very reliable for keeping the home comfortable. They are also generally cheaper to install than heat pumps, and there are many models out there with very high energy efficiency.
Furnace Cons
One con of a furnace is that it isn’t as environmentally friendly as a heat pump. They take up more space and may have higher monthly energy bills. However, the biggest con of a gas furnace is that there is a potential danger in gas leaks. There are many safety tips that are extremely important to follow to keep you and your family safe. It’s also important to keep other parts of your home in shape such as the chimney liner to prevent gas leaks and fires in the home. This may result in a bit more maintenance and attention.
Heat Pump or Furnace? How to Choose
So knowing these pros and cons, how do you choose? If you’re into environmentally friendly and high-tech options, need supplemental heat, or are willing to spend more upfront, a heat pump is a great option. If you prefer a more traditional method that many experts know well and are ready to follow the safety guidelines, gas is for you.
In search of the greatest heating and cooling options? A full-service company, Live Free Heating Cooling Electric offers the greatest goods from reliable manufacturers with excellent warranties. Get a free estimate (terms apply) from us today!