If you’re considering adding either a heat pump or a high-efficiency gas furnace, one important consideration is which will be more efficient in your circumstances. The more efficient your heating appliance is, the less it will cost to run, and the lower its impact on the environment. We’ll explain heat pump vs gas furnace efficiency below so that you can make an educated decision.
What is the Efficiency of a High-Efficiency Gas Furnace?
Sure, they are called high-efficiency furnaces, but what exactly does that mean? A high-efficiency furnace is a relatively new kind that converts more of its fuel into heat and less into exhaust. As a result, it uses less fuel to achieve the same heat. A high-efficiency furnace has an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) of 90% or more. That means they take 90% of the fuel and turn it directly into heat. Some furnaces can achieve 98% efficiency.
Heat Pump Efficiency
Heat pumps don’t generate heat. Instead, they move it. Heat pumps can pull large amounts of heat from the outside air into your home during the winter (and can use the same principles to move heat out of your home in the summer). For that reason, you can’t measure their efficiency in the same way that you can measure the efficiency of a furnace. They can move more energy than they use, in fact, they can make your home very warm even when it seems like there would be little heat left outside to draw from.
However, heat pumps also perform differently at different temperatures. They are less efficient in winter and at very low temperatures. At what temperature is a heat pump most efficient? At high temperatures, heat pumps will be more efficient, so on your hottest summer days, you can expect the best performance.
To learn more on how you can lower your monthly heating bills, contact the HVAC professionals at Guelph ClimateCare to get the best advice.
Heat Pump Versus Gas Furnaces
Ultimately, when you’re comparing the efficiency of a heat pump versus a gas furnace, you’re usually asking which will be more cost-effective for you to run. Heat pumps run on electricity while gas furnaces run on gas, of course. In most areas, gas is cheaper so furnaces typically are cheaper to run as well. Although, you’ll have to consider energy costs in your area to be sure.
However, you might also consider that combining both might be the best course of action. Many people use heat pumps to supplement their furnaces. On the coldest days, the heat pump can bring your home up to a relatively warm temperature and the furnace can add the rest.
More Than Efficiency
There are other things to consider when you’re choosing a heat pump or high-efficiency furnace. Heat pumps require less space, and they also operate as an air conditioner. On the other hand, they are noisier and perform not as well on the coldest days.
To learn more about the efficiency of heat pumps, contact the industry experts at Guelph ClimateCare today.
