Deciding Between a Heat Pump, Furnace, or Hybrid | Heating and Air Conditioning Repair in Dallas, TX
Having the heat go out unexpectedly in the dead of winter is every person’s worst nightmare. While you do need to hire the services of a company offering heating and air conditioning repair in Dallas, TX, you will also need to get the right type of heating system for your home. When it comes time to replace or install a new heating system, you will have quite a few options, which can make it harder to decide on which is the best one for your home. Keeping that in mind, here we are going to take a quick look at the three main options that homeowners have when looking to replace a heater in Texas.
Combustion Furnace
The most commonly used heating option for Texas homes is combustion furnaces. This is mainly because both heating oil and natural gas prices are decreasing, thanks to more domestic oil production. This has made heating a home with gas or natural oil a more attractive option for many homeowners in Texas. Also, because of the increase in domestic oil production, prices are expected to remain relatively cheap, which makes opting for a combustion furnace the smart choice for many homeowners and is one of the reasons why combustion furnace is most recommended by companies offering heating and air conditioning repair in Dallas, TX.
The typical gas-powered furnace that’s used in a home gets its fuel via gas lines that run through cities and towns in the US. For those who do not wish to use gas lines, heating oil and propane are two of the other options that homeowners can use to heat their home once the temperature starts to drop in Texas. Needless to say, regardless of which option you choose, you are going to need the expertise of a company offering professional heating and air conditioning repair in Dallas, TX, to install the heating system for you.
Regardless of the fuel type you are using, it will flow into the furnace where it is sparked into flames with the help of an electronic ignition or a pilot light. The combustion furnace keeps the flame burning, and the resulted heat that’s created is then spread throughout the house via the duct system. Hiring the services of a company offering heating and air conditioning repair in Dallas, TX, will ensure that there’s a network of ducts in your home that can help spread warm or cool air throughout the house, making it comfortable regardless of what the temperature is outside.
The air is then routed back to where it came from, where it is then sucked through the filter before being reheated and recirculated throughout the house. During this process, the combustion gases and carbon monoxide gas that build up are safely removed from the house with the help of a flue pipe. While the combustion furnace is an easy way to heat a home, it also makes it possible for you and your family to remain comfortable during the harsh cold months in Texas.
That being said, the combustion furnace is also considered to be an inefficient option which is why it never exceeds 100% efficiency even when converting all of the fuel it has to heat. While this might seem good to some people, it is not where near as efficient as the air-source heat pump, which offers up to 300% of energy efficiency. Also, unlike a heat pump, which provides both heating or cooling, the furnace can only provide heating for a home.
Heat Pump
One of the reasons why many companies offering heating and air conditioning repair in Dallas, TX oftentimes recommend a heat pump is because, unlike the combustion furnace, the heat pump is able to provide both heating and cooling to a home, which makes it a more efficient and cost-effective option. A heat pump uses its heat exchange capabilities of refrigerant to circulate warm air throughout the house.
The refrigerant that flows through the heat pump system is able to extract heat from the cold air outside and transfer it inside. The air is then circulated throughout the house via the duct system. When it comes to cooling, the heat pump functions similar to an air conditioner, as in, it extracts the heat energy from the inside air and sends it outside, using the refrigerant as a medium for the heat exchange inside the heat pump system.
While the capabilities of a heat pump system exceed that of a combustion furnace system, this efficiency usually comes at a cost. Also, most of the heat pump systems find it difficult to extract warm air from outside once the temperature drops. This is why a company offering heating and air conditioning repair in Dallas, TX can get you the right size system for your home. When this happens, the heat pump system uses an auxiliary electric heating strip that provides supplemental heating. However, this can make using the heat pump system costlier as compared to a furnace combustion unit.
Hybrid Heating System
Companies that provide heating and air conditioning repair in Dallas, TX, also offer a third option to homeowners. This is a dual-fuel option and is called a hybrid system. In this system, the air source heat pump uses the gas furnace as backup or auxiliary heating instead of an electric heating element. When the temperature outside drops, the inexpensive gas furnace kicks in which is able to quickly heat a home at a less cost. A hybrid system allows the user to switch between the sources of energy from gas furnace to electric heat pump.
A clogged or leaking HVAC system can be easily avoided if only homeowners knew the importance of hiring a professional service offering heating and air conditioning repair in Dallas, TX. One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating offers a world-class HVAC repair service that’s reliable and affordable. From air conditioning to heat and furnace repair along with other solutions, the company is known for delivering on its promise of exceptional quality and timely service.