If you’re considering replacing your home heating system, you owe it to yourself to consider the pros and cons of the different options available so that you can make the right choice. Whether your current system is broken beyond repair or just getting old, you want to make sure you replace it with a product that will provide comfort and lower your energy costs. Furnaces and heat pumps both have advantages and disadvantages, depending on your situation. Each home and family has different heating needs so one system is not always right for everyone. But one thing is for sure: if you need furnace or heat pump replacement in Asheville, you should hire Sheer Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning to do the job.
Furnace Advantages:
- Provide radiant warmth in extremely cold temperatures.
- High efficiency models are available to minimize energy costs.
Furnace Disadvantages:
- Burning of fuels creates carbon monoxide, which can be harmful to people when not properly vented. And it is considered a greenhouse gas.
- High efficiency models use less energy, but still use more energy than heat pumps.
Heat Pump Advantages:
- Use less energy than furnaces because they transfer heat rather than create it.
- More earth-friendly because no fuels are burned, when only using the heat pump.
- Can also cool your home by moving warm air out.
Heat Pump Disadvantages:
- Does not heat well in extremely cold temperatures.
- Does not cool well in extremely hot temperatures.
Weather is an important deciding factor between heat pumps and furnaces
In moderate climates heat pumps excel. They collect and transfer warm air from outside into your home. When it’s cool outside, there is still enough warmth in the air for the heat pump to gather and transfer inside. But when temperatures get below 40 degrees Fahrenheit there is not enough warmth in the outside air for the heat pump to collect. If you live in Asheville, North Carolina or anywhere nearby, you are sure to have harsh mountain winters that get much colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. But don’t discount the heat pump just yet; consider a hybrid system.
Hybrid Heating Systems provide efficient warmth
Hybrid heating systems combine the efficiency of a heat pump with the comfort of a furnace. Mountain weather in North Carolina can be pretty inconsistent in the fall and spring. The temperatures will be chilly for a day or two, then back to warm, then chilly again before it gets consistently cold. During this time, the heat pump can keep your home comfortable by simply moving air around. But once the cold winter months set in and the temperature drops, the furnace takes over and provides a radiant heat that keeps you and your family cozy. You save energy while the heat pump is working and it keeps you comfortable in those fall months when it’s chilly, but not cold enough to turn your furnace on. Then your furnace works for just a few cold months. And what about those random warm days in the middle of January? That happens a lot in NC, and your heat pump will work to keep your home comfortable on those days as well, without having to switch back to air conditioning for a day.
Sheer Comfort can help you decide
If you’re still not sure which heating system would be best for your home, Sheer Comfort can help. We can assess your home and give you a recommendation based on our experience and knowledge of HVAC systems. Sheer Comfort has served Asheville and the surrounding area since 2002. We provide furnace and heat pump replacement in Asheville as well as HVAC repair and maintenance. Request a quote or call 828-357-7215.
For more information on furnaces: http://www.energy.gov/energysaver/furnaces-and-boilers
For more information on heat pumps: http://www.energy.gov/energysaver/heat-pump-systems