3 Differences Between Heat Pumps and Furnaces in Marion, NC

Furnaces and heat pumps are both popular tools that Marion, NC residents could use to heat their homes this fall and winter. If you’re looking for a home heating solution, information about both of these systems should be of great interest to you. Here are three important differences between heat pumps and furnaces.

1. Heat Pumps Can Heat and Cool

Furnaces are single-purpose heating appliances, while heat pumps can heat and cool your home. This is perhaps the most obvious and important difference between furnaces and heat pumps. A furnace and a central air conditioning system will typically form part of a more extensive HVAC system, while a heat pump will stand on its own.

2. Power Source

Heat pumps use electric power, while furnaces can run on various types of energy. Gas-powered furnaces are the most common type, though electric furnaces also exist. You may also occasionally encounter some oil-powered furnaces, though these are older and rarer.

3. Efficiency

Efficiency differences exist between heat pumps and furnaces, but they are not straightforward enough to conclude that one is definitively more efficient than the other. In general, heat pumps are more efficient than gas furnaces. However, heat pumps can sometimes struggle to generate heat when outdoor temperatures are especially low because they operate through heat transfer.

Both types of systems will require occasional repairs and regular maintenance to keep them running at their best, though each has its own specific needs. For example, only heat pumps can experience refrigerant leaks, while soot accumulation in valves and filters is a unique problem for gas furnaces.

This information should give you some idea of what to expect if you choose to have either a furnace or a heat pump in your Marion, NC home. Call Triangle Contractors, LLC today, ask for our heating services and we’ll install whichever system you prefer.

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