When it’s time to invest in a new HVAC system for your Eugene, OR home, there are many options to choose from. As an informed homeowner, it’s imperative to do your research into the different types of systems available so that you can choose the best one for your comfort, convenience, and financial needs.
Installing a Traditional Furnace
One of the most popular heating systems on the market today is the furnace. Furnaces can run on one of four different types of fuels, including electricity, natural gas, propane, and heating oil. Furnaces are available in both standard and high-efficiency models, so you can capitalize on long-term energy savings if you’re okay with investing a little more upfront.
Furnaces require ductwork to deliver heat throughout your home and work in one of two ways. Furnaces that burn propane, heating oil, or natural gas will generate heat through the combustion process. These units produce toxic fumes, just like your car, that mandate proper ventilation to remove them. Electric furnaces generate heat from heating elements. These don’t produce any toxic fumes, which means they don’t require any venting to function properly.
Central Air Conditioner
A central air conditioner is commonly paired with a traditional furnace. Central air conditioners utilize ducting to deliver cold air throughout all the various rooms of your home. These units work by effectively absorbing heat using a substance known as refrigerant. AC units absorb heat from inside your home and pump it outside through the compressor pump to your outdoor condenser unit.
The air conditioner releases the heat into the outdoor air and restarts the process all over again. Central air conditioners are typically available in both standard and high-efficiency models. More efficient ACs cost more upfront but offer savings over time in the form of lower monthly bills. You can choose the AC installation option that balances your current budget with the potential for long-term cost and energy savings.
Investing in a Heat Pump
Another piece of HVAC equipment that’s becoming increasingly popular is the heat pump. One very notable thing about a heat pump is that it can provide both heating and cooling for your home. Instead of having a separate furnace and air conditioner for your year-round comfort, you can rely on one system in the form of a heat pump.
When it comes to their cooling function, heat pumps work the exact same way as central air conditioners regarding removing heat from your home. However, during the winter season, a heat pump functions in reverse, absorbing heat from the air outside and bringing it into your home. Because they’re not burning fuel to create heat, heat pumps do not produce any toxic fumes like fuel-burning furnaces do.
Ductless Mini-Split
Another popular option that’s gaining a lot of traction is the ductless mini-split system. This system utilizes heat pump technology, meaning it can both heat and cool your home for all-year-round comfort. The main difference between a heat pump and a ductless mini-split comes down to the number of indoor air handler units you have.
While a heat pump relies on ductwork to deliver hot and cold air throughout the various rooms of your home, a ductless mini-split system doesn’t require ducting to function. Instead, it uses multiple indoor air handler units placed in the various rooms of your home.
Every indoor air handler unit will have refrigerant lines that connect it to the main outdoor condenser unit. Because ductless mini-splits don’t require ductwork, they’re a great option for existing homes that don’t have ductwork installed. These systems simply require a small, 3-inch hole to be drilled in the exterior wall of each room to run the refrigerant lines between the indoor air handler unit and the outdoor condenser unit.
It’s crucial to address any concerns you may have about a ductless mini-split system being able to adequately heat your home during the winter months. Traditional mini-splits simply couldn’t perform well at temperatures below freezing, which made them a bad choice for cold climates.
These days, you can purchase a cold-climate ductless mini-split that’s specifically designed to work down to temperatures in the negative digits. This new technology allows those in colder regions to take advantage of the high efficiency of a ductless mini-split.
A Look at Energy-Efficiency
When deciding what HVAC unit to purchase, one thing you always want to consider is its operating efficiency. A unit with high operating efficiency will cost less to run over its lifespan than a unit with a lower operating efficiency. In general, the most energy-efficient options on the market will be the ductless mini-split and the heat pump.
Their high efficiency in the wintertime comes from the fact that they’re not burning fuel to create heat. Rather, they’re simply transporting heat from one location to the other. Furnaces that run on electricity will offer the next best efficiency, followed by furnaces that burn natural gas, propane, or heating oil.
When it comes to cooling your home, ductless mini-split systems are the most energy-efficient. This efficiency comes down to a couple of different factors. The first is they’re not losing any cold air through leaks in your ductwork. The EPA suggests that homeowners can lose about 20% to 30% of the cold air their air conditioner produces through leaks in their ductwork.
The second reason is that ductless mini-splits allow you to use zone temperature control. You can set the temperature in your bedroom to be slightly colder than the temperature in your living room. By being able to optimize your unique comfort needs for each room of your home, you can further maximize your energy savings.
Existing Home Infrastructure
Another necessary consideration is the existing infrastructure of your home. If you already have ductwork in your home, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to invest in a ductless mini-split system, as it’s the most expensive system on the market. Instead, investing in a heat pump or furnace and central air conditioner setup is likely the best option.
A heat pump can be an ideal choice when you need to upgrade your existing heating and cooling systems. However, if you have a new furnace or central air conditioner, it may make more financial sense to simply replace the one that needs updating instead of purchasing a heat pump, as heat pumps will be more expensive.
It’s common for a lot of older homes to have boilers that don’t rely on ductwork. A ductless mini-split system can be the ideal choice in this scenario because there isn’t ductwork in place. It can be very expensive and invasive to add ductwork to a pre-existing home. It requires ripping out sections of your walls and floors to install the air ducts. Opting to use a ductless mini-split provides a non-invasive alternative.
Reliable AC Installation Service
Reynolds Electric, Plumbing, Heating and Air offers reliable air conditioner installation service for the Eugene community. Our knowledgeable and friendly AC technicians can also assist with all your AC repair, replacement, and maintenance needs. Simply call Reynolds Electric, Plumbing, Heating and Air in Eugene today to book your next installation consultation.
