Does HVAC Use Gas or Electricity?
Whether you’re investing in a home for the first time or you just want to learn more about what keeps your residence comfortable and safe, one great place to start is your HVAC unit. Homeowners often wonder whether their unit is powered by gas or electricity. The reality is it could be either or both.
The Role of Electricity in HVAC
Instead of thinking about HVAC gas in comparison to electricity, you need to first understand the basics of your system. There are various HVAC systems that can run solely on electricity. These include electric furnaces, heat pumps, ductless mini-splits, and central air conditioners.
Electric furnaces have an internal heating element that is powered solely by electricity to create heat. Heat pumps and ductless mini-splits don’t create heat. Rather, they transfer it from the exterior of your home to the inside or vice versa, depending on the season. Central air conditioners transfer heat from inside your home to the outdoors.
The Role of Gas in HVAC
HVAC systems sometimes use gas to function. When it comes to gas HVAC units, they fall solely into the heating sector. You can purchase a gas furnace or boiler system. These units will burn fuel to create heat for your home during the cold winter months. While they mainly utilize gas to create heat, these systems also require an electric hookup to power their circuit boards and internal electronics.
Hybrid or Dual-Fuel HVAC Systems
An option that’s popular in colder climates is a dual-fuel or hybrid HVAC system. This usually pairs a heat pump with a traditional gas furnace or boiler system. The heat pump works for the summer months and the mild winter days.
However, when temperatures dip below freezing, these hybrid systems switch back over to your gas unit to provide more efficient heating. It’s important to note that cold climate heat pumps are relatively new and a great alternative to hybrid units. They allow for effective heat transfer down to negative 22 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
How Does an AC System Work?
An air conditioning system works by transferring heat. Contrary to popular belief, an AC unit doesn’t necessarily produce cold air. Rather, it extracts unwanted heat from the air to lower its overall temperature.
Air gets drawn into your ducting or your indoor air handler unit for your ductless mini-split system. It passes over an evaporator coil that’s filled with low-pressure refrigerant. Heat naturally transfers to the low-pressure refrigerant. This leaves behind cold air that gets redistributed throughout your home.
The hot refrigerant gets pumped outside to the AC condenser unit, where it flows through the condenser coil. Low-pressure outside air is blown over the condenser coil, which causes the heat from the refrigerant to transfer to the outside air.
The hot air gets blown into the outdoors while the refrigerant gets pumped back inside to the indoor air handler unit. On its way, it passes through an expansion valve that decreases its pressure so that it’s ready to absorb more heat. This process happens the same for central air conditioners, ductless mini-splits, and heat pumps alike.
Helping You Choose the Right System
After learning about furnace gas and heat pump electricity, you may be wondering what HVAC system is your best option. The answer is that it really depends on your climate, budget, and your home’s infrastructure.
If you’re looking for a one-unit solution that can provide adequate heating and cooling all year long, a heat pump or ductless mini-split system is a great option. However, realize these units will be more expensive to purchase than a simple replacement of your existing furnace or central AC unit.
If your central AC unit is nearly new and your heater is on its last leg, you may want to consider running a gas furnace to heat your home during the colder winter months. Conversely, if your heater is new and your AC is nearing the end of its life, you may want to opt for the more affordable central air conditioner instead of investing in a more expensive heat pump or ductless mini-split unit.
Schedule AC Installation with Sal’s
Sal’s Heating & Cooling is your go-to expert for professional AC installation. Regardless of the HVAC energy sources that you want to use, we can gladly pair you with the best AC unit to meet your home’s cooling demands. With over 50 years in business and NATE-certified technicians on staff, you can’t go wrong when you call Sal’s Heating & Cooling for all your home comfort needs in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio.
