Heating and cooling costs are top of most homeowners' minds, especially in the dead of winter. If you are thinking about replacing your current HVAC system because it's old and inefficient, consider a dual-fuel heat pump. Here is everything you should know about this device and how it works.

What Are They?

An electric heat pump is an HVAC unit that both heats and cools, transferring heat into or out of the house depending on the season. A gas furnace produces only heat in the winter. A dual-fuel heat pump combines these two units into one system for peak efficiency and convenience. When you set the thermostat to a cool temperature in the summer, the heat pump will air-condition the house. In the winter, the same device will pull warmth from the outside air to increase interior temperatures until it reaches about 39 degrees outside. Then, the gas furnace part of the system will kick on to provide extra heat.

How Do They Work?

The electric heat pump part of the unit uses refrigeration lines, just like an air conditioner. In summer, the indoor handler gathers heat from the house and transfers it to the outdoor condenser, which cools the refrigerant as it passes through the coils and releases the warmth. The cooled refrigerant then reenters the house, and the blower distributes cold air into the rooms. The opposite process occurs in winter—the heat is brought from the outdoors into the home.

As the weather gets below 40 degrees in the winter, the electric heat pump shuts off because there's not enough warmth outside to pull into the system. This is when the furnace takes over. This unit burns gas efficiently to produce original heat and distributes it throughout the home via the same blower and ductwork. 

What Are the Benefits?

A dual-fuel heat pump is versatile, cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly. It also effectively keeps the home comfortable in all seasons, particularly maintaining a warm, cozy interior during winter.

Since the system runs on both electricity and gas, you can use the most economical fuel source at any given moment. The electric heat pump likely operates most often, so you are using the most environmentally friendly source the majority of the time.

If you would like to explore the possibility of getting a dual-fuel heat pump, contact Fayette Heating & Air Conditioning in Uniontown, PA. This HVAC company is dedicated to offering high-quality HVAC repair and installation at reasonable prices. They can also install a zoned system or help improve your indoor air quality. Visit the website to see what heat pump options they offer, and call (724) 439-2323 to speak with a technician.