You are careful about energy use: You keep your windows tightly closed during cold winter days, and in the summer, you keep your air conditioning at a sensible temperature. So when it comes to your monthly heating expenses, you expect to pay a reasonable amount based on your usage history.
If that amount has been increasing each month with no obvious cause, your growing energy costs could have everything to do with your current heating system. Older oil furnaces or electric heat pumps do not run as efficiently as newer models. If you are a Southern Maryland homeowner in this situation, you need an energy-efficient alternative that costs less.
Heat pumps and furnaces are two common central heating systems used to heat Maryland homes, and the debate over which is better to use — a heat pump versus a furnace — is ultimately up to your preferences or what will work best in your home.
A professional and local HVAC business like SMO Energy can share insight on the pros and cons of both systems — and review which system could work best for you.
What Is the Difference Between a Heat Pump and a Furnace?
The difference between a heat pump and furnace can be summarized as:
- Heat pumps are used in many parts of the U.S. They can act as an air conditioner by lowering the temperature of your home in the summer, or they can work as a heating unit to keep you warm and toasty during the winter. Heat pumps do this through a process of creating thermal energy, and they often run on electricity. They may or may not use duct-work, depending on your home’s existing systems.
- Furnaces are also common heating systems across the U.S., but they can only warm your home and will not act as an air conditioning unit. Furnaces can run on many types of fuel, such as oil and electricity, and they may include a boiler and blower to create and move heat throughout your home through a system of ducts.
Both heat pumps and furnaces use thermostats to help you set, control and regulate the temperature in your home.
Do Heat Pumps Have a Furnace?
Heat pumps do not typically contain a furnace element unless you have a dual-fuel system — a system that uses both a heat pump and an oil or gas furnace component — installed.
Is a Heat Pump Better Than a Furnace?
Until recently, heat pumps were primarily utilized in areas that experienced very mild winters. Heat pumps have since become much more effective in various climates and now stand as a viable option for the average Maryland homeowner. Heat pumps can efficiently and adequately heat your home when temperatures dip below freezing. Heat pumps also have what is known as a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating. This is a way to measure cooling output divided by the amount of electricity used. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the system.
Many newer furnace models can be incredibly energy-efficient too, with some reaching 98 percent efficiency. This means 98 percent of the energy used by the furnace either creates or distributes heat. Older models may only be 60 or 70 percent efficient. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE), a measurement of the appliance’s annual efficiency of turning fuel into heat, to be displayed on all boilers and furnaces for consumers to clearly see and compare ratings. This labeling is how you can determine the efficiency of your unit.
Generally speaking, although both heat pumps and furnaces can keep a home warm, a furnace can keep a home warmer than a heat pump can.
How Does a Heat Pump Work?
A heat pump is like a refrigerator. It uses electricity to move heat from a cool area to a warm area. In the summer, it moves the heat from inside your house to outside your house. In the winter, it takes the heat that can be found outside the house and brings it inside. Since heat pumps are only moving heat and not actually generating it — like a furnace or boiler does — they can heat a space at a lower cost. Heat pumps do not typically use ducts — which can contribute to energy loss in older systems (especially if the older system’s ducts are not maintained properly).
Heat pumps are the ideal way to save on your energy bill if:
- You live in an area where winter temperatures seldom drop into the 20s. Granted, this temperature guideline is changing as heat pump technology improves. If you are using a heat pump and you get a few below-freezing days, it is not unusual to have a higher bill that month.
- You live near the coast. Coastal temperature variations tend not to be as extreme as those experienced inland. When warmer days come, many of today’s heat pumps can out-perform standard air conditioners when dehumidifying summer’s humid air.
You may consider opting for a heat pump replacement if you are looking to rely on electricity as your energy source, or if you do not have existing ductwork in your home already.
If you do not have ductwork, a ductless heat pump system may be a good option for you. These heat pump systems do not require a system of ducts throughout the house, making them relatively convenient to install. Instead of ducts, these systems have a wall-mounted unit that can be installed in the rooms needing heat or air most. They can also serve as spot fixes for rooms or zones in a building that run overly hot or cold.
A ductless heat pump system is also known as a split ductless system, and it usually has an outdoor compressor and up to four indoor units. The units are operated by remote control and are connected to the outside unit by tubing through which the refrigerant is circulated. If the thought of making holes in your wall for a new duct system gives you pause, the ductless feature is one of the aspects that makes this system ideal for older or historic homes — and we have a lot of those in Maryland. You will get the cooler temperatures you want in the summer and warmer temperatures in the winter with potentially fewer installation steps needed to enjoy indoor comfort all year long.
How Does a Furnace Work?
Furnaces heat your home with a flame. Oil, gas or electricity typically powers the flame, which warms the furnace’s burners within the furnace’s combustion chambers. The heat created from the burners moves through a heat exchanger, where air is warmed to your thermostat’s set temperature.
Once the air in the exchanger is warm enough, a blower fan kicks on and pushes the hot air throughout your home via a network of ducts or vents — this is known as forced air heat. All furnaces, powered by one of the above-mentioned heat sources, operate this way.
When the temperature drops to extreme lows for many days on end, a furnace may be the more efficient selection to warm your home, as the energy required to run the flame or ignition source and the blower is usually less than what a heat pump would require to generate the same levels of heat. The heat pump will need to work much harder to produce the same amount of heat in lengthy, extreme cold conditions. Some homes that have a heat pump often also have a back-up source of heat that kicks on when outdoor temperatures are very cold. A fully-functioning furnace, however, can keep the temperature inside a home comfortable, even on the coldest of days, without back-up support.
How Versatile Is a Heat Pump Compared to a Furnace?
Furnaces heat your home with a flame. Oil, gas or electricity typically powers the flame, which warms the furnace’s burners within the furnace’s combustion chambers. The heat created from the burners moves through a heat exchanger, where air is warmed to your thermostat’s set temperature.
Once the air in the exchanger is warm enough, a blower fan kicks on and pushes the hot air throughout your home via a network of ducts or vents — this is known as forced air heat. All furnaces, powered by one of the above-mentioned heat sources, operate this way.
When the temperature drops to extreme lows for many days on end, a furnace may be the more efficient selection to warm your home, as the energy required to run the flame or ignition source and the blower is usually less than what a heat pump would require to generate the same levels of heat. The heat pump will need to work much harder to produce the same amount of heat in lengthy, extreme cold conditions. Some homes that have a heat pump often also have a back-up source of heat that kicks on when outdoor temperatures are very cold. A fully-functioning furnace, however, can keep the temperature inside a home comfortable, even on the coldest of days, without back-up support.
Which Is Safer, a Heat Pump or a Furnace?
Both furnaces and heat pumps are safe to operate when they are installed and maintained correctly. Proper maintenance typically includes changing your filters regularly and ensuring any outside units are clear of debris, plus having a professional check your system annually for a tune-up to confirm all fluids and components are clear and functioning properly.
Because a furnace usually runs off of a fuel-ignited flame, one safety concern is risk of carbon monoxide (CO) exposure if:
- The furnace has not been regularly maintained. This means the fuel might not burn as efficiently as it should, which can lead to increased carbon monoxide risk.
- The pilot light does not function properly. Most furnaces have backup protection systems that guard against any problem arising if the pilot light fails to ignite or goes out. But if these backup systems fail, there is an increased risk of carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide is a natural product of oil or natural gas combustion. What makes it dangerous is that it is invisible and scentless — you may not even know you are breathing it in. If one of the issues above happens and your furnace is not vented properly, CO can build up in your home, replace the oxygen and create a dangerous environment.
To detect and prevent CO issues, there are CO detectors you can easily install in your home. Additionally, knowing the common symptoms of CO exposure can help you identify an issue in your home. These include a dull headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion or loss of consciousness, according to the Mayo Clinic. Preventing CO from entering your home in the first place is best. This is why it is essential to have your furnace installed properly, maintained adequately and upgraded when necessary by a trained and certified HVAC service provider.
Heat pumps do not have the same CO safety concern because they are powered by electricity and use a refrigeration cycle to create heat rather than fuel and a flame.
However, as with any system within your home, heat pumps also can have safety concerns. If your heat pump is not wired correctly when installed or the compressor used to pump refrigerant is older, when the pump turns on, it could overload your electrical panel and repeatedly trip a breaker.
A tripping breaker is actually a protection mechanism that safely shuts the power to the appliances and home systems wired to that breaker. If the breaker your heat pump is wired to is repeatedly tripping, though, it is an indicator that there could be a serious issue with your unit and that it is time to call a professional.
What Is the Cost to Maintain a Heat Pump Versus a Furnace?
One of the most important questions to resolve in the heat pump versus furnace debate is cost efficiency over time.
To answer that question, you have to take into account installation, maintenance and repair costs, energy-source costs and the size of your home. Another factor is the current setup of your home if you are looking to replace a system and work with elements such as ductwork from the existing system.
In a home with existing ductwork and a furnace, it is often less expensive to replace the existing furnace with a new model. If your home does not have any ductwork in place, installing a heat pump can be more cost-effective.
An HVAC professional can offer recommendations and help you evaluate your needs so you make the right choice.
Call SMO Energy for Your Heating and Cooling Options
Is a heat pump or furnace right for you? Let us help you decide. For more than 90 years, SMO energy has been helping Maryland residents with their home heating and cooling needs. We pride ourselves on our passion, service and attention to detail — and we make sure we treat our customers like family.
When it comes time to decide between a new or replacement heat pump or furnace, request a free consultation or call us at 1-888-222-3720. A member of our professional and friendly team will help you look at your options and pursue the best choice for your home and your family.