Key takeaways
- A heat pump heats and cools with one system
- Furnace and AC can win in the coldest weather or with cheap gas
- Dual fuel combines both
- The best choice depends on the house and utility rates
How they differ
A heat pump moves heat: out of the house in summer and into it in winter. A furnace burns fuel to make heat, and a separate air conditioner cools. Heat pumps can deliver more heat than the electricity they use in mild weather, and weaker at very low temperatures.
In Middle Tennessee, with mild winters and some cold snaps, heat pumps do well.
Where each wins
A heat pump often wins in homes without gas, for efficiency in mild weather and where one system is preferred. A furnace with an air conditioner can win where gas is cheap, winters are harsher or existing ducts and gas lines make it simple.
A dual fuel system uses both: the heat pump most days and the furnace in cold snaps.
How to decide
Compare your gas and electric rates, the age of your equipment and your comfort preferences. A professional can calculate operating costs for your house.
Our Tonnage Finder and a load calculation help size either choice.
Related services
Quick answers
Do heat pumps work when it is very cold?
Modern heat pumps work well through most of our winter. On the coldest nights a backup source helps.
Are heat pumps noisy?
Modern units are quiet, especially two-stage and variable-speed models.
Ready to talk it through? Get a free estimate or call 615-431-3789.