A Dual Fuel System Boosts Efficiency By Offering Choice

Electricity- or fuel-powered furnaces are common sources of home heating in Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan, but they are expensive to operate. On the other hand, a major energy-efficient alternative — the heat pump — loses its efficiency as temperatures fall. That’s where a dual fuel heating system comes in, offering energy efficient and reliable heating.

 

A dual fuel system, also known as a hybrid heating system, combines the best characteristics of furnaces and heat pumps to produce a level of efficiency and reliability that neither heating source could achieve by itself.

 

A dual fuel system consists of an electric heat pump and a traditional furnace that runs on fuel. The heat pump cools your home in the summer and provides heating when temperatures start to drop but are still moderate. When temperatures fall below about 30 degrees, however, the heat pump quickly loses efficiency and heating effectiveness. That’s when the dual fuel system shifts heating operations to the furnace. The balance point, or the temperature at which the system switches between heat sources, can be set to your preference.

 

Homeowners with dual fuel systems have to keep the furnace part well maintained and ready to go to work when temperatures fall. They also have to manage two sources of power: electricity for the heat pump and fossil fuel for the furnace. But many see almost immediate evidence of the system’s efficiency in reduced seasonal heating bills and improved levels of indoor comfort.

Home Comfort Experts is a family run heating and air conditioning business serving customers in Fort Wayne and Southwest Michigan, including South Bend, Mishawaka and Northern Indiana. Contact us today for more information on energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, to get an estimate or to schedule a professional installation.