Finding a suitable HVAC system for your house can be difficult. A conventional fossil gas furnace may be a popular choice, but did you know that a heat pump could better fit your home? In this blog post, we’re going to explore the similarities and differences between gas furnaces and heat pumps. This can help you make a more informed decision regarding the heating and cooling systems in your home!
How does each option work?
Heat Pump:
Utilizes electricity to transmit heat from one location to another, can be 2-3 times more efficient at heating a building than a gas furnace because heat pumps generate more energy (heat) than is consumed to make the system function.
Gas Furnace:
Burns fossil gas / oil or propane to create heat that is then distributed through air ducts.
The efficiency at heating a building ranges from 80 to 95 percent.
Which option is better suited to our colder climate?
The simple answer is – both! While furnaces have typically been thought of as better suited to colder climates because they can provide strong and constant heat, heat pumps specifically made for a colder climate have proven they can keep up with our winter temperatures in Southern Ontario (which seems to become more mild every year). Some models of cold climate air source heat pumps (ccASHPs) are capable of operating down to -25C, which provides more than adequate heating during most winters in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area. If you are worried about the occasional extra frigid winter nights, there is the ‘hybrid’ option with the heat pump where you keep your original heating system, but it only kicks on if the heat pump is not able to function at full capacity.
The added bonus of heat pumps!
Although the name may suggest that they only pump heat into your home, heat pumps are not only a replacement for a furnace. The way heat pumps are constructed to move heat in both directions (from outside to inside and vice versa), allowing it to heat your home in the winter and cool things down in the summer! Whereas a conventional gas furnace can only provide heat, and a separate air conditioning unit must be purchased separately in order to provide cooling.
Safety Considerations
Another thing to consider when comparing heat pumps to gas furnaces are the potential health risks that are attached to one and not the other. Any equipment inside your home that burns a finite resource, like fossil fuels to generate heat, runs the risk of carbon monoxide seeping into the air indoors. This can obviously present serious health risks if it goes undetected. There are fewer safety concerns with installing a heat pump, since it runs on electricity so there is no risk of toxic fumes leaking into the air.
Maintenance
For both heat pumps and gas furnaces, regular air filter changes and scheduling a yearly maintenance call is recommended to prevent any major issues with functioning. This is particularly important with the influx of extreme hot or cold weather events that we have been experiencing due to climate change. The last thing you need is your home heating system failing during a cold snap! For heat pumps, you’ll also need to do some minor outdoor maintenance to ensure there is consistent air flowing in and out of the unit. This means clearing away any leaves, grass, and yard debris from around the heat pump during the warmer months, and keeping snow and ice off the unit during the winter.
Cost Differences & Savings
The final area of comparison may be one of the most important when considering a heat pump or gas furnace – and that’s how expensive are the two options? On average, a standard gas furnace typically costs anywhere from $5,000 – $7,000 to purchase and have installed in Ontario. The comparison to heat pumps is much more varied, depending on the brand and size of the unit needed to effectively heat/cool your home. Heat pumps have a greater upfront cost than a gas furnace, ranging from $4,500 to upwards of $20,000. However, they produce larger energy savings in the long-run – an average Toronto home saves around $10K over its lifetime when switching from gas-powered space heating to heat pumps that run on electricity.
Tips
- Do your research! Check out the links referenced below to learn more about which option may be best for your home.
- Green Venture has done a virtual webinar all about heat pumps – watch here!
- Join community groups to see feedback on different heat pump models that others in your area have installed. One we love is called “Heat Pumps for Hamilton”.
- Get multiple quotes from different contractors – we recommend at least three!
- If you are registered in any government incentive programs, make sure you check Natural Resources Canada’s eligible product list to ensure the heat pump model you are considering is on there before purchasing.
References
https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/The-Cool-Way-To-Heat-Homes.pdf
https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/how-do-heat-pumps-work
https://carbonswitch.com/best-cold-climate-heat-pump/
https://www.carrier.com/residential/en/us/products/furnaces/heat-pump-vs-furnace/
https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/home/heat-pump-vs-furnace/
https://www.enercare.ca/heating/new-furnace
https://www.cleanairalliance.org/heat-pump-testimonials/
https://www.cleanairalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Heat-Pump-Report-gas-heated-2022-8.5×11-aug-02-v_01.pdf
