“The unsung hero of your home.” You probably hear that term thrown around a lot, and you probably hear it applied to a lot of different appliances or devices. The truth is that there are a lot of hard-working pieces of equipment in your home, and all of them pull their weight equally. However, arguably no appliance deserves this label more than whatever’s in charge of heating your home.
It, along with the component that cools your home, might be on the same level. There are ways to figure out how to perform other tasks, but maintaining a comfortable temperature is key and can’t be effectively done otherwise.
But how can you maximize your home’s heating ability? Depending on where you live, your options could be limited. Here in Tampa, for example, we don’t need something that does a lot of heavy lifting, heat-wise. Our cross-country neighbors, however, need some more firepower, so to speak. One option is to have a heat pump installed – but what are the benefits?
American Air, Plumbing, and Electrical has the answers. Keep following along!
More Money in Your Pocket
The biggest draw to switching to a heat pump is one that is enticing to a great number of people – and the likeliest reason why someone would want to switch in the first place. It’s cheaper! If you’re moving into a new home that doesn’t already have a heating and cooling system set up, then a heat pump will be one way you can save money.
A single heat pump will be less expensive to have installed than a furnace-and-AC-combo would, and it uses less energy while operating. The Department of Energy estimates that a home with a heat pump can save anywhere from $300 to $500 in a year compared to one with a furnace!
Better for Certain Conditions
As we noted above, heat pumps work better in areas with more moderate temperatures like Tampa than in colder climates. That’s because heat pumps aren’t able to churn out the necessary heat needed for an area with milder environments without significantly sacrificing performance. However, you can have a heat pump installed with a gas furnace if you’d prefer.
But again, here in Tampa, that’s not much of a concern. A heat pump by itself will be able to perform all you ask of it without much issue, so don’t let that influence your decision too much.
Luck of the Draw
The other big reason why a heat pump might make more sense is if you happen to live in an area where it would cost more to pay for natural gas compared to electricity. If that’s the case, switching from a gas furnace to an electric heat pump would make plenty of sense as well.
All that said, it comes down to preference given the area in which we live. A heat pump will perform just as well as a furnace here, and it might end up saving you money in the long run if you switch. However, that’s not something we can prescribe for everyone.
To learn more about a heat pump and to figure out if one might be right for you and your household, give American Air, Plumbing, and Electrical a call at (407) 603-4410!
