You have a variety of different options when it comes to heating your home during the winter. While a home’s heating requirements are obviously less in California, having an effective heating system is still important. In terms of central heating, a gas furnace is often one of the best options for all of the following reasons.
1. Extremely Effective Heating
One of the main reasons why so many homes have gas furnaces is because they are one of the most effective heating options available. Gas furnaces heat the air flowing through them to a much higher temperature than electric furnaces or heat pumps. Electric furnaces only heat the air to around 95 degrees, whereas gas furnaces heat the air to between 120 and 140 degrees.
Heat pumps do not produce heat, just transfer it, and typically put out air that is only 20 or so degrees warmer than whatever the current temperature is in the home. Most heat pumps designed for use in warmer climates like California can also only raise the indoor temperature by around 30 degrees higher than the outdoor temperature. A heat pump will almost always be able to maintain a consistent temperature once the home is fully warm. However, it may take them a relatively long time to bring the home up to temperature since they can often only raise the temperature by 1 to 2 degrees an hour.
In the Oceanside area, your heating system obviously won’t need to run all that much compared to if you lived in a much colder climate. Nonetheless, a gas furnace will heat your home more quickly and not need to run as long as an electric furnace or heat pump would. This is especially helpful if you turn your heating down at night or when you’re at work, as a gas furnace will be able to bring your home back up to temperature in a very short time.
2. Energy-Efficient Operation
A heat pump will almost always be the most energy-efficient heating option. However, a gas condensing furnace will also be quite energy efficient and not cost that much to operate. Conventional furnaces are only 80% efficient and waste lots of energy, but condensing furnaces can be up to 98.5% efficient. That means it would only waste 1.5% of the energy it uses.
Electric furnaces are usually 100% efficient, but the problem is that they require massive amounts of energy to run. In fact, an electric furnace will typically use at least three to five times as much electricity as your central air conditioner.
3. Superior Temperature Control
Variable-speed gas furnaces are a great choice for California homes since they can potentially be just as energy efficient and cost less to run than a heat pump. Instead of producing a huge amount of heat and only running for a short time, variable-speed furnaces run at lower power for longer. In a warmer climate, a variable-speed furnace will almost always run at between 25% to 50% of its total capacity. This greatly reduces how much energy the furnace uses, which is what can help make this type of furnace as energy-efficient as a heat pump. The reason that a variable-speed furnace can sometimes be cheaper than a heat pump to operate is that natural gas costs much less than electricity.
Variable-speed furnaces are also far better at controlling the temperature since they can automatically adjust how much heat they produce at any given time. If your home ever starts getting too cold, the furnace will ramp up so that it produces more heat and warms your home more quickly. It will then slow back down so that the temperature always remains consistent. With a variable-speed furnace, you’ll never have to worry about issues with some rooms being too hot or too cold. This is because the furnace will always produce just enough heat to maintain the desired temperature and always run long enough to fully heat every part of the home.
With more than four decades of experience, Thompson Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning is the one to trust for all of your home comfort needs in Oceanside. Whether you’re looking to install a gas furnace, heat pump or central air conditioner, our team is ready to help. We also provide professional heating and air conditioning repairs and maintenance services, and we work with every make and model of HVAC equipment. You can also count on us for all of your indoor air quality and plumbing needs. Contact us today for more information on your options for furnace installation or to schedule a consultation and find the best heating option for your home.
