Do You Need a Furnace With a Heat Pump in Vero Beach, FL?

Are you unsure about the right approach to take with your home’s heating? Call Bates Air and Heat at (772) 837-5109 to schedule a consultation.

Winters in Vero Beach and the rest of Florida are typically short and mild. What many residents consider cold here qualifies as T-shirt weather for people in the colder parts of the country. However, most Floridians need heating in the winter because it serves as a sharp contrast to the heat and humidity of the spring and summer months.

Do you need a furnace with a heat pump to stay warm on those very chilly nights? As the premier HVAC service in Vero Beach, FL, it’s one of the most common questions we get. We’ll cover the answer in detail in this post.

Using a Furnace With a Heat Pump in Vero Beach

You don’t need a furnace with a heat pump in Vero Beach, FL. If you want to switch to a heat pump and already have a furnace, you can keep the furnace as backup heating. However, if you don’t have a furnace, you can skip buying one. Here’s why:

The weather in Vero Beach means that winter temperatures rarely drop below 50 degrees, if ever. Thus, you don’t need a furnace. Most modern heat pumps can conveniently heat your home in such temperatures and even lower.

So adding a furnace is an unnecessary expense.

Can a Heat Pump Replace a Furnace in Very Cold Weather?

With global warming continuing to worsen, it’s natural to expect surprisingly cold weather one of these years. Some people might refer to the Great Arctic Outbreak of February 1899 as an example of what might happen if the weather takes us by surprise.

However, even in those conditions, heat pump systems can continue to work effectively. The Great Arctic Outbreak saw temperatures dip to around -2 degrees. Modern heat pumps can heat your home at twice the efficiency of gas furnaces or standard electric heating well below zero degrees.

Electric heat pumps have shown the ability to heat homes in extremely frigid temperatures, such as in places like Norway and Finland.

The U.S. Department of Energy, recognizing the improvements in heat pump technology over the last few years, has now rated it a fantastic choice for homes in cold regions. You can expect more than three times the amount of heat energy for the amount of electricity your heat pump will consume.

Research To Confirm the Efficiency of Heat Pumps in Cold Weather

If you’re still not convinced that heat pumps can work as standalone heating in Vero Beach, FL, and asking, “Do you need a furnace with a heat pump,” consider this 2018 research from the Center for Energy and Environment.

The researchers tested heat pumps in Minnesota, where winter temperatures can dip toward five degrees (around ten times colder than Florida). They wanted to see if air source heat pumps would work in that climate and if they are energy efficient in those conditions.

The researchers got a resounding yes on both counts. Heat pumps effectively heated the home used for the test. The homeowners also reduced their energy usage by 35-50%.

An even better indicator of the efficacy of heat pumps as standalone heating is what current users think about them. According to a report by Coolproducts, 81% of heat pump users noted a significant improvement in their home comfort by simply replacing their current heating with heat pumps. The report analyzed heat pump usage in Europe.

Closer to home in the U.S., it also seems that heat pumps are the future. A report by Canary Media shows that heat pumps outsold furnaces for the first time in 2022—a trend that many analysts expect to continue.

Heat pumps once had a reputation for struggling in cold weather. Why are they now so capable even in frigid conditions?

Why Heat Pumps Are Now Highly Reliable

Heat pumps now do well even in cold weather because the core components have undergone significant changes in recent years. These changes have made them more capable of handling cold weather. Some of these changes include the following:

Variable Speed Compressors

Compressors are responsible for circulating the refrigerant through the heat pump system. Modern heat pumps have compressors that can now automatically adjust their energy consumption and speed in line with the temperature readings.

So these components can adjust to working harder on extremely cold days and then cut back on energy usage when temperatures become more moderate.

Grooved Copper Tubing Coils

Most modern heat pumps now have grooved copper tubing coils. This technology means more surface area than the smooth tubing on older systems. Thus, new heat pumps can complete the heat exchange process more efficiently than they could manage before.

Is There a Reason To Pair Your Heat Pump With a Furnace in Vero Beach?

There’s no reason why you need to pair your heat pump with a furnace as a homeowner in Vero Beach, FL. One common reason people believe this scenario stems from their home’s insulation failing to do well with a heat pump.

However, buying a furnace alongside your heat pump due to poor insulation isn’t the most cost-effective decision. It will certainly cost less to properly seal your home instead.

Running a furnace and air conditioner combo may not be a good idea either (even for mini splits). Both will cost just about the same price as a heat pump upfront and will cost more to run over the long term.

Call Bates Air and Heat Today for Expert Guidance

Do you need a furnace with a heat pump in Vero Beach, FL? You don’t. However, you have to ensure you choose the right heat pump size for your space to enjoy the energy-efficient heating and cooling that has made them so popular these days.

For expert guidance on choosing the perfect heat pump, call Bates Air and Heat in Vero Beach, FL, today at (772) 837-5109 to schedule a consultation or learn more about your HVAC system lifespan.