Our Austin heat and A/C professionals know some of you may have questions about a dual fuel system, how it works, and whether it’s a good choice for your home. Considering the relatively mild winters we have in central Texas, it may be the ideal option for optimal comfort and energy savings. Why?
Many homeowners in the area have electric heat pumps for heating and cooling their homes, which is great as long as temperatures don’t plummet below about 35 degrees. When winter temps drop below average, say 30 or 32 degrees, a heat pump has a difficult time pulling heat from outdoor air to make your home feel warm and comfortable. This is where a dual fuel system comes into play.
To put it simply, a dual fuel heat pump is an electric heat pump paired with a gas furnace. If the temperature outside drops to the point the heat pump can no longer pull heat from the outdoor air, the gas furnace takes over and your heat pump shuts off.
Electric heat pumps are super efficient for both heating and cooling your home, and they do most of the work year-round. The only time the natural gas furnace component of the dual fuel system will switch into gear is when it gets really cold outside.
If you have an electric heat pump for cooling and heating your home, you know it switches to auxiliary heating mode when it’s super cold. You probably also know that if it runs in this mode for long, your energy bill may soar.
The beauty of a dual fuel system is that your electric heat pump will take care of keeping your home comfortable during all seasons of the year, providing cooling and heating that’s efficient. It’s during those really cold ‘winter blasts’ that it will switch over to the gas furnace, maximizing efficiency and keeping you warm without the need of auxiliary heat mode. It really is a win-win both for your family’s comfort, and your bank account.
Interested in learning more about how a dual fuel system operates, and whether it may be the best option for you? Give the Austin HVAC installation pros at Schneider Mechanical a call today for answers to all of your questions.
