Heat Pump or Gas Furnace and Central Air Conditioner? Which is Better?

With the increasing popularity of heat pumps in Virginia, many homeowners are asking if a heat pump is a good option for their home. Here is an overview of how heat pumps differ from traditional gas furnaces. 

The main difference between a furnace and a heat pump is that a heat pump can be reversed to either heat or cool a home. A heat pump consists of two parts: an indoor unit called an air handler and an outdoor unit that is similar to a central air conditioner – called a heat pump. A compressor circulates refrigerant that absorbs and releases heat as it travels between the indoor and outdoor units. 

Depending on the season a heat pump exchanges the cool air with warm air, or the other way around. Even air that seems cold can have heat energy. When it’s cold outside the heat pump extracts the heat and transfers into the home. When it’s hot outside, it reverses the flow to work as an air conditioner, removing heat from your home. 

When considering a heat pump it’s important to understand that, unlike a gas furnace which creates heat, a heat pump can only exchange heat, and will be unable to deliver a high level of warm air that is required to heat homes in colder climates like the Northern Virginia area. 

Have home heating questions? Call Ostrom. We can help answer all your home heating and cooling questions.