With heating and cooling bills accounting for a significant portion of residential energy costs, it’s no wonder that homeowners in South Carolina's Midlands are on the lookout for a more efficient means of providing year-round comfort for their families. Dual-fuel systems are one way to approach this conundrum.
As the name implies, dual-fuel systems combine two energy-efficient methods of heating and cooling to provide the utmost in comfort year-round. Relying heavily on the high efficiency that a heat pump provides during milder weather, dual-fuel systems can provide significant energy savings.
If you’re unfamiliar with how heat pumps work, they basically transfer heat from warm air to cold air, instead of creating heat via combustion. Thus, these systems can transfer as much as four times the energy they consume in electricity. The only drawback of using a heat pump is that they aren’t terribly efficient once temperatures drop below 30 degrees. That’s where the dual-fuel system comes in handy.
Whereas the typical heat pump may come with an electric form of backup heat, this can consume quite a bit of electricity, spiking your energy costs. With a dual-fuel system, the heat pump instead defers to a more efficient energy source during colder weather, such as a gas-fired furnace. With many of these systems, you don’t even have to worry about manually switching fuel sources, as they are pre-programmed to make the transition based on the temperature.
The real appeal of dual-fuel systems is the year-round benefits in terms of efficiency, performance and energy savings. For example, during the summer, the heat pump not only cools your home as efficiently as any air conditioner; it actually enhances the dehumidification of your indoor air. As temperatures start to drop off, the high-efficiency heat pump significantly reduces your energy consumption relative to traditional heating systems. Finally, if and when temperatures do drop below 30 degrees, you have the efficiency of a gas-fired furnace to maintain the level of comfort and energy savings your family deserves.
If you’d like to know more about the two-in-one benefits of dual-fuel systems, contact us at Comfort Services today.
