An electric heat pump offers a lot of benefits.
This type of system combines both heating and cooling capacity.
There’s only a single unit to install and maintain. Plus, the heat pump works by moving existing heat from one place to another. During cooler weather, there’s still ambient heat available in the outdoor air. The heat pump grabs this heat, compresses it to a higher temperature, then brings it into the home. Because the system doesn’t burn fossil fuels to create heat, there’s none of the concerns associated with the combustion process. There’s no hot surfaces which might potentially burn small children or pets. There’s no fumes or greenhouse gasses to harm the environment. The threat of carbon monoxide is eliminated. Another advantage of an electric heat pump is that it doesn’t overly dry out the air and avoids the need for a humidifier. When the weather warms up, the system switches over to cooling mode and operates just like a conventional air conditioner. The drawback of heat pumps is that they aren’t all that effective once the temperature drops below freezing. They are most common in areas with mild weather. Combining a heat pump with a gas furnace is called a dual fuel or hybrid heating system. A dual fuel system is an ideal solution for areas with very severe winter weather. While the initial investment is considerable, the combination of heat pump and furnace will pay for itself in energy savings very quickly. The heat pump costs far less to run than the furnace or an air conditioner. For the majority of the year, the heat pump handles demand.