When investing in a heating installation in Orinda, CA, energy efficiency is the most important measurement to take into account. After all, we don’t deal with the kinds of cold temperatures that other areas of the country do, which means we want our heating systems to run while costing as little as possible. The more energy-efficient your heating system is, the less you have to pay each and every month.
Although, there’s one small problem. There are different types of heating systems that all run in very different ways. How are you supposed to tell which one is the most energy-efficient and effective enough for your home if they all work so differently?
That’s what this blog post is about. We’ll touch on three distinct heating systems: gas furnaces, electric furnaces, and heat pumps, and talk about which one might be the best—and most energy-efficient—choice for your house.
Gas Furnaces
Gas furnaces are powerful systems that work in most areas of the country. They’re perfect for those chilly nights and they always get the job done when you need comfortable temperatures in your home. However, how efficient are they compared to other heating systems? This depends.
Gas furnaces rely on an AFUE rating, which means the annual fuel utilization efficiency rating. Simply put, the higher this number is, the more efficiently your furnace runs. Keep in mind that this number can’t exceed 100, just like a test you would take in high school, because it’s expressed as a percentage. The number represents the percentage of fuel being used for heat in your home. Inefficient systems might have AFUE ratings in the 70s or 80s, while most efficient gas furnaces run with a 90+ AFUE. Some even exceed 95, which means that you’re seriously getting your bang for your buck!
Electric Furnaces
Electric furnaces are great options in our neck of the woods. Pretty much all homes have access to electricity, while some might not have easy access to natural gas. And, to make these systems even more enticing, they’re some of the most affordable models to have installed. Are electric furnaces an efficient option though?
Absolutely! Depending on electricity prices in your area, an electric furnace could be a great option for your house. It’s all going to depend on your home’s electrical grid and the price of electricity in your neighborhood. We’ll be able to give you an estimate on how much it might cost per month and how efficient your electric heater might be.
Heat Pumps
We don’t mean to blow the other systems out of the water, but many homeowners are turning to heat pumps when it comes to comfort and efficiency. First of all, heat pumps function as both heating systems and air conditioners, so their utility is absolutely worth the cost of installation. Secondly, they run on electricity which is more efficient than other heating fuels. And lastly, they move heat via refrigerant lines instead of creating heat, which is another efficient edge this system has over others.
The only downside to a heat pump is if you already have a functioning air conditioner, it might be a bit redundant in function. Also, heat pumps tend to have a higher initial installation price than other systems, so they can be hard for customers on a budget.