Heat pumps are quite popular among homeowners across the country, due to their ability to provide both heating and air conditioning functions. While this does save quite a bit of money on monthly climate control costs, it does introduce a number of factors that you need to consider in colder climates like Vancouver. Fortunately, there is a way to get all the benefits of using a heat pump with none of the drawbacks: a dual fuel heating system!
Why Heat Pumps Struggle in Cold Weather
Air source heat pumps operate in the same way that an air conditioner does. The heat pump evaporates refrigerant to absorb heat from the air around it, then condenses it to vent the collected heat somewhere else. When heating the home, the heat pump collects thermal energy from outside the home and releases it inside. The problem this poses is that in extremely cold weather, there is very little thermal energy available in the air. The heat pump can still heat the home, but it has to work much harder to do it. This makes the system much less energy efficient than a normal heating system. If you want to use your heat pump during the winter, but you don’t want to suffer higher heating costs during the colder days of the year, you should consider installing a dual fuel heating system.
Why You Should Install a Dual Fuel Heating System
A dual fuel heating system is basically a furnace with a heat pump coil attached. During the summer, and in winter when the temperature isn’t as low, the heat pump part of the system handles climate control The furnace part of the system remains dormant until the temperature drops too low for the heat pump to heat effectively. Once that happens, the furnace will automatically take over to maintain the system’s heating efficiency.
A dual fuel heating system is the best way to get the energy efficiency of a heat pump without having to worry about it failing on you. You will cut down on your air conditioning and heating costs during most of the year, with the furnace available as an automatic fallback on those few days where the weather is too cold for the heat pump to keep up.
So, if you’ve been thinking about installing a heat pump but you’re worried about maintaining energy efficiency during winter, consult with a professional today about installing a dual fuel heating system. You can have a single climate control system take care of all your heating and cooling needs year-round, and never have to worry about losing energy efficiency.
Area Heating & Cooling, Inc. offers a full range of dual fuel system and heat pump installation services in Vancouver, WA. If you’re looking for a new heat pump system, we can help you out. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our HVAC experts. We’ll make sure that you get the perfect heat pump solution for your heating and cooling needs.
