Determining Whether You Have a Heat Pump or a Furnace

As a homeowner, it’s good to know basic information about your home’s mechanical systems. One of the most complex and confusing of those mechanical systems is the HVAC system. For example, there are some HVAC components that look similar but work in entirely different ways. One component that often causes some confusion is the heating component. While some people have furnaces, others have heat pumps. If you want to know which system you have in your Burbank, CA, home, check out this basic guide from Certified Service.

Indoor Versus Outdoor

One way to tell the difference between heat pumps and furnaces is that a furnace is entirely inside while a heat pump has components both inside and outside. That’s because a heat pump uses a compressor on the outside to extract heat from the air. Therefore, if you turn on the heat and you see that the outside component is operating, you have a heat pump. If the outside component doesn’t turn on, you have a furnace, and the outside component is only used by the air conditioner.

Utility Bill

Another idea for determining whether you have a heat pump or a furnace is to take a look at your utility bill and compare it to the local Burbank average. Since the winters in Burbank are mild, a heat pump will be quite efficient at providing heat throughout the winter. Therefore, your utility bill will be much lower than someone using a standalone furnace. After all, lower energy usage is one of the biggest perks of owning a heat pump from Certified Service.

But Wait, I Don’t Have an Outdoor Unit

In some cases, you may notice that you don’t have an outdoor unit but still feel that your utility bills are lower than the average in winter. If that’s the case, you may have a geothermal heat pump. These devices extract heat from under the ground instead of from the outside air. Using this method, geothermal heat pumps from Certified Service don’t need an outdoor unit. The good news is that this method of heating is quite efficient, meaning you can enjoy a comfortable winter at a fraction of the cost.

All Types of Heating Products

To help ensure our customers have plenty of options for heating their homes, the professionals at Certified Service are able to install a wide variety of heating products. Additionally, the technicians can take on air conditioning repair and maintenance, plus ductless system installation. We also proudly offer an array of thermostats to assist with your heating and cooling needs. For more than 45 years, Certified Service has been dedicated to treating our customers well. That’s why people leave us five-star reviews all the time. For more information about heating your home, contact us at Certified Service today. We look forward to serving all of your indoor climate comfort needs.

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