Forced air furnaces are one of the most common types of home heating systems in the united states.
Electric forced air furnace with heat pump.
Compare costs efficiency installation operating costs and more for electric heat pumps vs gas heating to determine which hvac system is best for your home.
If you live in the south where winter temperatures may only reach 40 to 60 degrees then a heat pump is the best fit for your home.
The heat is generated by whatever type of furnace you have in your home gas propane oil heat pump or another heating source.
In both types of furnaces heated air is forced by a blower fan through the ductwork into the various heated rooms of the house.
An electric furnace works like a big hair dryer producing heat with electric heating elements.
The efficiency and btus delivered through electric radiators furnaces convection heaters or boilers for hydronic radiant floors all fall within the category of electric heat and are all equally efficient on a btu per watt basis.
It is a heating system that carries heated air throughout your house.
By contrast in an electric furnace an electric ignition receives the thermostat signal and activates electric heating elements inside the furnace.
The furnaces then use forced air to blow the heated air through the house.
The advantage over a heat pump is the air is typically warmer than air blown from a heat pump system.
If you live in a region where temperatures drop below 32 degrees you shouldn t choose a heat pump as your sole heating source.
In an area where temperatures reach freezing air source heat pumps make good primary heating systems.
Costs of electric furnaces.
Why choose a heat pump over a gas furnace.
In contrast to the hot and dry air of a furnace heat pumps circulate air that s naturally humid so they won t dry out your skin as much as the heat of furnace.
Heating with electricity is not defined by just baseboard heaters or an electric forced air furnace.
In addition electric furnaces often are paired with heat pumps air handlers or added as the heating component to an air conditioner.
The unit cost of a forced air.
Most of the reasons you would choose a heat pump vs.
Lifespan and maintenance a gas fired furnace generally has a longer lifespan than a heat pump.
Furnaces with proper maintenance can last 20 years or more.
Cooler air is drawn through an intake vent to return to the furnace.
If you live in an area where electricity costs less than gas then a heat pump is also the better option.
The median price for an installed furnace is 3 881.