Heat Pump vs. Electric Heat: Which Is Better For Your Home?

Are you trying to decide between a heat pump vs electric heat for your home? With so many options available, it can be challenging to determine which one is the best fit. In this article, we’ll evaluate both systems’ cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency, environmental footprint, and safety.

Which is the better option for your specific needs? Let’s take a closer look!

Heat Pumps

A heat pump transfers thermal energy from one place to another, usually from outside air, into the building’s interior space. The heat pump system consists of an outdoor unit with a compressor, condenser coils, expansion valve, and evaporator coil. It also includes an indoor unit with fan motors and filters.

Some common types of heat pumps include air source heat pumps, water sources heat pumps, and geothermal heat pumps. Heat pump systems can be used for cooling in the summer and generating heat during the winter months.

Electric Heating

heat pump vs electric heat radiator in home

Electric heating systems use electricity as their primary fuel source to generate warmth within homes or businesses. This type of heating system typically includes baseboard radiators or wall-mounted convectors that contain electrical elements.

These elements convert electrical current into heat energy when activated by thermostats located throughout the building’s interior spaces. Additionally, some electric heating systems use electrical resistance baseboard heaters to generate warmth.

Heat Pump vs. Electric Heat Comparison

Here are some key points to consider when deciding between heat pumps vs electric heating:

Costs

You’ll need to consider two types of costs: initial installation and operation costs.

Initial Installation Costs

Heat pumps are typically more expensive to install than electric heating systems. The cost of putting in a heat pump system can vary from $3,000 to $10,000, depending on the size and complexity of the system. Electric heating systems are usually less expensive than heat pumps, ranging from $1,704 – $7,080 for a complete installation.

Operating Costs

Operating costs for both systems vary based on local energy rates and usage patterns. Generally speaking, heat pumps are more efficient than electric heating systems due to their ability to transfer heat rather than generate it directly. This means they use less energy overall, lowering operating costs over time.

Regular upkeep from an experienced professional is essential to ensure that both heating systems work optimally and securely. For example, heat pumps will need periodic cleaning and filter changes.

On the other hand, electric heating units should have their elements checked regularly for signs of wear or damage. This could lead to higher energy bills or safety issues if left unchecked.

Energy Efficiency

Regarding efficiency, heat pumps, and electric heaters offer advantages in terms of energy savings.

heat pump vs electric heat doing better work for environment

The greater the number, the more adeptly electricity is employed to warm a house. Heat pumps typically have an Energy Star rating of 8 or higher, while electric heating systems can range from 6-8 depending on their design and components. Electric heating systems may also be eligible for tax credits or rebates if they meet specific requirements.

Seasonal performance ratings measure a system’s performance over time during different seasons. For example, an 8 SEER heat pump can be more advantageous in winter than a 6 SEER rating because it utilizes less power for generating equivalent warmth than its lower-rated version.

Some electric heating systems are also designed to provide supplemental heat during cold weather months when temperatures drop below freezing. These units often have higher seasonal performance ratings than those not offering this feature.

Environmental Impact

The carbon footprint reduction potential of heat pumps and electric heating systems varies depending on the type of energy source used to power them. Heat pumps utilize electricity as a fundamental energy source, thus enabling them to be driven by renewable sources like solar or wind power.

This means they have a lower carbon footprint than fossil fuel-powered systems like a gas furnace or boiler. Conversely, electric heaters require electricity generated from sources like coal or natural gas plants that are not renewable. This yields higher emissions than electric furnaces, heat pumps, and any other air conditioner.

Safety Considerations

When it comes to safety considerations for home heating systems, heat pumps, and electric heating both have their unique risks. If improperly installed and maintained, heat pumps draw power from an outdoor unit, creating potential shock or electrocution dangers.

Electric heating also has electrical components that one should handle carefully to avoid shocks or other injuries. Additionally, both systems may require additional wiring or rewiring of existing circuits to meet current safety standards.

Heat pumps use refrigerant lines that run between the indoor and outdoor units, which could potentially leak combustible gasses into the home if not properly sealed off during installation or maintenance procedures.

Electric heating elements can become extremely hot during operation, and you should avoid flammable materials such as curtains, furniture, rugs, etc.

Heat Pump vs. Electric Heat: Which One Should You Choose?

heat pump vs electric heat researching pump types

The best choice will depend on your individual needs and preferences. Other factors contributing to your choice include; budget, energy efficiency requirements, environmental considerations, and safety concerns.

An air source heat pump may be the best solution if you are looking for an affordable and efficient way to keep your home comfortable all year round with minimal upkeep requirements. If you prefer a system with higher upfront costs but better control of temperature levels in different parts of the house, an electric heater might work better. Ultimately, it’s essential to consider all factors before making this critical decision.

Conclusion

Both heat pumps and electric heating systems are viable options for keeping your home warm and comfortable during different seasons. If properly installed and maintained, they can also provide energy savings, environmental sustainability, and safety considerations.

If you’d like a custom recommendation from a trusted team of professionals, Aquarius Home Services is here to help. Contact us today to find the perfect system to keep you and your family comfortable year-round.

Colleen Danner
Colleen Danner
1727899589
Mike was friendly, knowledgeable about the equipment and thorough. Thank you Mike!
Dennis Brekke
Dennis Brekke
1727894606
Very helpful, answered all my questions and didn’t seem to get annoyed by the amount of questions that I had!
Christine Evans
Christine Evans
1727889497
Awesome work! Was able to come at a convenient time and very professional. Thank you!
Sharon Engels
Sharon Engels
1727828335
D J
D J
1727824056
Amie Mckiernan
Amie Mckiernan
1727822617
Very satisfied.
Corey B
Corey B
1727809554
Came out for their 6month service. Tech was extremely friendly and helpful. 100% recommend!
Corey Popp
Corey Popp
1727799059
Josiah was professional, friendly, and efficient. Great experience and I will definitely be using Aquarius in the futyre.
Ronald Prokop
Ronald Prokop
1727781047
From sales to service the most politedown-to-earth people I’ve ever dealt with my life Top Notch quality was above and beyond give me information that I didn’t even know, replaced furnace and AC unit. The cleanliness was impeccable. Kindness was appreciated. Thank you for everything. And one of the installers I went to school with so it was great actually seeing him.
John Congemi
John Congemi
1727753567
We have used AQUARIUS for several service calls, and Nick continued the excellent service that we’ve come to expect and trust. He inspected our furnace and heat pump, cleaned everything, and made the required repairs and replacements.He took his time, was very thorough, explained everything, and we could tell he knew what he was doing. We will continue to use AQUARIUS and request Nick when possible.
Matt Smith
Matt Smith
1727733816
Jay did a great job servicing our water system today! Thank you Jay. Much appreciated.
Steven Nelson
Steven Nelson
1727721927
Nathan was personable and knowledgeable. Thank you. He was very helpful and efficient.
James Boston
James Boston
1727707677
The Aquarius technician was stellar. He was quick, clean, and highly competent. He explained what he was doing clearly and when the work produced an unexpected leak he promptly repaired that and showed the cause. Very happy with the work done.
Jeff Pfeifer
Jeff Pfeifer
1727633638
Carol Cramer cellphone email
Carol Cramer cellphone email
1727564394
Alec did an excellent job!!! He was knowledgeable, courteous, wonderfully thorough, and we very much appreciated his help and service!! Thank you all!!!
Ilyssa Siegel
Ilyssa Siegel
1727474298
Chris Oigard was so knowledgeable and helpful. He and his team installed our new furnace and AC very cleanly and respectfully. He spent time explaining and educating us. I highly recommend Aquarius. We are very happy with the service.
Randy Burk
Randy Burk
1727470355
Mike did a great job today.Changed filler out on our system and discussed sulfur smell issue with our hot water.He suggested having a plumber come to house and check hot water heater.
Kevin Cullen
Kevin Cullen
1727454347
Great service by friendly, knowledgeable plumber
Angela Nieland
Angela Nieland
1727450742
The Aquarius Home Services Team is always very friendly, courteous and a pleasure to work with. Nate came to our home and was knowledgeable and so kind. He went above and beyond expectations. I would highly recommend Aquarius and Nate anytime you have an electrical needs.
Katherine Harrington
Katherine Harrington
1727392782
Been experiencing issues with our AC/furnace not working and we had no idea what was causing the issue. Our technician Nicholas exceeded expectations and dug deeper and found out what was actually causing the problem and fixed it that day! (It was a doosy!) He was great at communicating and explaining it in ways I could understand. Super friendly and would recommend him to everyone!
KBK
KBK
1727361947
David was great! He gave very detailed explanations and showed us what he was discussing. He was super fun and interesting, but also well informed and had good information for us.
Kris Peterson
Kris Peterson
1727315903
My install team was great, they were worried it would take two days due to the boiler arriving late, but they did it in one and we're very happy. I did subject them to smelling pulled pork and ribs the whole day, so I made sure to give them some, but they honestly deserved it. Explained what they did, how to use the new boiler, and left the place cleaner than it was when they came. Honestly what more do you need?
Lew Palmer
Lew Palmer
1727304313
Service was very good. However, the scheduling desk not so much. When I originally scheduled the checkup, it set it up for the same day (9/19). However, scheduling called and asked that we reschedule for 9/25. I agreed. Then on the morning of 9/25, I was called asking to reschedule AGAIN. I refused. The service person came anyway as scheduled as his last visit of the day.Heating/cooling service scheduling can be improved.
Udit Singh
Udit Singh
1727298781
Joleen George
Joleen George
1727290739
Judy Brown
Judy Brown
1727289316
Mike serviced our system and did the water checks. He explained everything he was doing as he did it and showed the results of the test. He also cleaned out some slug and added more salt. Making it maintenance free for us. Great Technician!Thanks Mike
Dawn Senn Rewey
Dawn Senn Rewey
1727281647
Very satisfied.
Katie Foran
Katie Foran
1727278203
Mike was excellent. Technically, very strong with great communication skills. He showed me how to replace the water filter and coached me through all the things to expect with the system.
John Osen
John Osen
1727267176
Technician confirmed our system was in order and ready for winter. He coached us on filter changing as this is our first central air system. He did notice our water heater may have an issue and scheduled an inspection for that.
Jack Kleven
Jack Kleven
1727221336
Matthew Madeira
Matthew Madeira
1727218224
Chris was very helpful. He did a great job replacing one of the tanks. Great experience.
Nick Rice
Nick Rice
1727205215
Great guys, good service
Tammy Myrick
Tammy Myrick
1727204999
Our technician Mike for very pleasant, asked questions to make sure he understood the issue. He was very knowledgeable and explained his results in terms we could understand. He explained options and costs and was not pushy in any way. He scheduled additional appointments for us so we can have all our options and costs before we make a decision. Highly recommend Aquarius. Great service and wonderful technician.
Greg P
Greg P
1727196562
Tim was courteous and very thorough explaining what he was checking and why
Sarajane Hanson
Sarajane Hanson
1727192728
Very polite. Very thorough. Explained things so a layman could understand. Knowledgable.
T schell
T schell
1727192153
Tim was great. No sugarcoating the issues. Very knowledgeable.
Thomas Bottensek
Thomas Bottensek
1727127004
Our 75 gallon tank style water heater failed over the weekend. We were able to contact someone from Aquarius Home Services on Saturday and they arranged to have a plumber at our house first thing Monday morning (several other companies we contacted for quotes couldn't get out until mid-week). Josiah arrived at 8am and inspected our water heater and associated plumbing. Josiah was very knowledgeable and provided three water heater solutions, identified two areas in our existing system that no longer met building code, and provided the information necessary to make an informed decision. Based on the information provided, we elected to upgrade to a tankless water heater. Josiah was able to get the necessary parts delivered to our house and six hours after arriving onsite we had hot water. In addition to being a master plumber, Josiah is very knowledgeable, personable, and the workmanship performed on our new system is impeccable.The pricing on the new system was fair and the quote included the new tankless water heater, pulling the permit, installation, removal of the old water heater, and upgrading the exhaust vent and AprilAire water connection to meet code. After the installation was finished Josiah cleaned up the work site and you would never know we had a major plumbing job performed. He gave us a "tour" of the new system, explained how it works and how to maintain it. He also re-lit the pilot lights on the two gas fireplaces and cleaned the outside air intake vents. We are extremely pleased with our new water heater, the price we paid for it, and the installation that Josiah performed. We would not hesitate to recommend Aquarius Home Services and Josiah in particular to anyone in need of a new water heater or any other plumbing needs.
Connie Rude
Connie Rude
1727121940
Great to work with. The techs did a great job installing and leaving it looking great!
suzen carey
suzen carey
1727120770
Furnace& Hvac all ready for the winter. Upgrade on the filtration system. We should all breath easier including the perpetrator dog and cat! Thanks again Aquarius
Kassam Karim
Kassam Karim
1727110688
Marcus was very knowledgeable and explained gave some good tips and tricks to take care of the heating system.
Dori Thell
Dori Thell
1727104162
Excellent start to my day. Mike was polite and efficient, answered my questions and even took time to help me with a dryer vent issue.
Jenny Woods
Jenny Woods
1727010633
Erik and John….the Johnson brothers were professionals at their plumbing job at my house…, looks and works good….very knowledgeable and friendly. I will have them finish 2 more jobs at my home.
Bruce Cross
Bruce Cross
1726942330
Mike is as efficient and friendly
Andre Mariette
Andre Mariette
1726929562
David was on time (early actually) patient and clear about his plan. Had great advice about how to remedy my situation without pushing any sales on me. Very friendly nice guy as well, definitely the type of workers I love and appreciate. Thanks David!
Kate Mayer
Kate Mayer
1726925682
Marcus helped us troubleshoot airflow/temperature consistency issues with a new HVAC system. He was very professional, clearly explained what he was doing and seeing, and gave great advice for how to mitigate our concerns. He was transparent about the cost levels of our options and went above and beyond in providing information. We have had great experiences with Aquarius for HVAC, electric and plumbing, and look forward to working with them in the future.
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson
1726865840
Very pleased with the work and service. Technicians were very nice, efficient and knowledgeable.
tom howard
tom howard
1726858333
Very professional and informative, quick install did a very nice job
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