The heat pump and furnace split the workload, taking advantage of the most effective system at any given time
Although I spent a lot of money on heating and cooling for my home, the investment was definitely worth it. I live in an area that requires a powerful heating system in the winter and effective cooling during the summer months. Since I rely on some type of temperature control just about all year round, energy efficiency is a priority. The cost of keeping a comfortable home makes up about half of my utility bills. In order to minimize running costs, I combined an electric heat pump and gas furnace in a dual fuel system. This wasn’t cheap. I feel it was worth it. The heat pump performs the job of an air conditioner during the summer. It keeps the house nice and cool but is more energy efficient than a convention central cooling system. Plus, the heat pump is better at combating humidity. When the weather cools off, the heat pump switches to heating mode. It literally reverses operation to find ambient warmth in the outdoor air and transfer it inside. This process is especially efficient and also very clean, safe and environmentally friendly. There is no combustion process, which eliminates the concern over carbon monoxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. The drawback of a heat pump is that it can’t handle demand once the outside temperature falls below freezing. At that point, there’s no longer sufficient ambient heat available, and the furnace automatically takes over. The heat pump and furnace split the workload, taking advantage of the most effective system at any given time. I save money on heating and cooling costs and can expect both units to last longer.