1 Kilowatt of energy from electricity generates 1 kilowatt of energy in the form of heat.
1 Kilowatt of energy from an electric heat pump generates up to 5.4 kilowatts of energy in the form of heat.
Heat pumps are a different method of heating your home than other forms of heat. This is possible as an air source heat pump doesn’t create heat, rather it transfers existing heat from within the environment outdoors. A heat pump operates in manner very similar to your refrigerator. In the winter, they capture heat from outside air and transfer that into your home. Even on the coldest of days, there is heat within outdoor air. In the summer, heat pumps do the same process, but work in reverse. Since they move heat using electricity (rather than creating heat) and they use a fraction of the energy required of other heating types. Heat pumps are up to 500% more efficient for heating than their gas or baseboard counterparts, and their source of fuel is heat within the environment which is abundant.
In comparison, gas, oil, and propane furnaces work very differently. These systems burn fuel to generate heat. Although they can be efficient (gas furnaces get up to 98% efficiency rates), the amount of energy used to heat your home all comes from the fuel itself, and is using the planets limited resource of fossil fuel.
The amount of savings depends on the cost of the energy utilities available where you live. With a Napoleon hybrid heating system (a combination of an electric heat pump and a high efficiency gas furnace) with an EQHub™ thermostat you are guaranteed to save money when compared to a regular gas or baseboard system, now and into the future.
While heat pumps have tremendous efficiency, we still need to consider two important factors that determine how much it costs to heat a home; the cost of the energy and the outdoor air temperature. A hybrid heating system is a means to future proof your home for rising energy costs. We don’t know what the price of gas or electricity will be in the future, however a Napoleon system will ensure that you are heating your house at the lowest cost.
When we consider costs of electricity, each utility manages their pricing differently. Some utilities have “Time of Use” (TOU) rates. During the day, when demand for electricity reaches a peak, a utility with TOU rates, will be very costly. At night, these rates fall dramatically as demand is less. Natural gas, by comparison, has the same cost regardless of the time of the day. Those who use propane, find that this is typically purchased with a contract for a set quantity of propane.
Air temperature plays a key factor in determining the efficiency of a heat pump. While heat pumps can operate in very cold temperatures, the amount of heat they can provide to your home declines as the outside air temperature drops.
A homeowner who installs a heat pump alone, may find higher energy bills from heating their home using expensive peak electricity rates if they have TOU rates; especially on the coldest days. Conversely, someone who relies only on natural gas, may pay significantly more over the course of the winter as they do not take advantage of low cost electricity overnight, or when outdoor temperatures are mild.
Napoleon is the only manufacturer who has combined the best of both worlds, by utilizing the EQHub™ thermostat, paired with a Napoleon Cold Climate Heat Pump and a Napoleon high efficiency gas furnace. This combination, controlled by the EQHub, eliminates the guess work by determining the optimal means to heat your home (high efficiency heat pump or high efficiency gas furnace) based on the current air temperature and current electricity and gas rates.
Heat pumps offer superior energy efficiency, up to 500% versus their fossil fuel equivalents, and deliver heat in a sustainable manner from an abundant source. They help to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
As we look at the ever-changing costs of energy, a hybrid system, which includes a heat pump, switches to the least cost option, based on temperature and cost and ensures that the homeowner achieves the most sustainable and lowest cost source of heat possible. This system future proofs your heating costs.
For more information on heat pumps and industry leading Napoleon hybrid heating systems, high efficiency cold climate heat pumps and gas furnaces, click on the links below.
https://www.napoleon.com/en/ca/heating-cooling/products/hybrid-heating
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