When it comes to HVAC system replacements, today’s homeowner has many different types of heating and cooling systems to choose from. Those choices are almost unlimited for new home construction, but for most existing homes a homeowner will be choosing between a heat pump and a traditional furnace combined with a central air conditioning system.
The location of the home plays a very important role in the choice of HVAC system. One of the best things a homeowner can do is to talk to an experienced local HVAC contractor. They will have a good handle on the types of systems that make the most sense for your area.
For example, in the Pacific Northwest and in other mountainous regions, many homes are not equipped with an air conditioning system because temperatures rarely exceed comfortable levels. In these areas, a high efficiency furnace may be a good choice. A heat pump might be a more efficient user of energy, but unless you have a need for at least occasional cooling, you would be wasting money on a system that heats and cools, no matter how efficient.
On the other hand, in warmer climates a heat pump is an excellent alternative. Heat pumps offer energy efficient heating and cooling in a single system and are a great choice where air conditioning is needed and winter temperatures do not routinely stay below freezing for extended periods of time.
In northern climates that get cold in the winter and hot in the summer, a heat pump can be an excellent energy efficient heating and cooling system for most of the year, but they lose some efficiency in extremely cold temperatures. One alternative is to use a heat pump with a traditional fossil fuel burning furnace installed as a secondary heat source for the coldest winter temperatures.
