Making sure that your home is safe and warm during the cold winter months is very important. When you are looking for a heating source for your home, two of the most popular options are furnaces and heat pumps. While many people use these terms interchangeably, there are actually many differences between the two heating options.
Source of Hot Air
The main difference between a furnace and a heat pump is how they create hot air for your home. A furnace will typically use natural gas or electricity as the fuel source to generate hot air. With a heat pump, the pumps will actually take the warmth out of the outside air. This is similar in process to how an air conditioner creates cool air for your home. This process actually makes them more efficient and environmentally friendly than furnaces as they do not rely on natural resources as much to create heat.
Ability to Work in All Environments
Another difference between heat pumps and furnaces is that they are designed for different environments. If you live in a warmer climate where it does not generally get too far below freezing, a heat pump could be a far more efficient option. However, heat pumps have a harder time consistently creating hot air in very cold climates. Because of this, you may be better off having a furnace if you live in an area that has long, cold winters.
If you want to learn more about heat pumps, furnaces, and your other options for heating and cooling your home, reach out to P&M Air Conditioning and Heating. P&M Air Conditioning and Heating have been providing heating and air conditioning services to customers all over the Houston metro area for more than 70 years. P&M can meet all of your installation, repair, and maintenance needs for your home heating and air conditioning systems.