Why to Consider a Dual-Fuel HVAC System

January 1, 2025

Are you looking for ways to improve your heating and lower your energy bills? You now have quite a few different options when it comes to upgrading your HVAC system, and some of the options are inherently better or have some big advantages over others. In terms of overall performance and energy efficiency, one of the best options is a dual-fuel HVAC system. This article will explain why that is as well as everything else you should know about dual-fuel HVAC systems and why installing one can be such a smart investment.

What Is a Dual-Fuel HVAC System?

A dual-fuel HVAC system consists of two separate units: an electric heat pump and a gas furnace. The heat pump provides air conditioning so the home stays fully cool during the summer. It also does most of the heavy lifting in terms of keeping the house fully heated in the winter. In some ways, the gas furnace is mostly just a backup that will make certain your home is always as warm as you wish. Nonetheless, the furnace still plays an important role in heating, as you’ll see in the next sections.

Limitations of Heat Pump-Only Systems

Although heat pumps are extremely efficient and can provide both air conditioning and heating, there are some concerns or drawbacks to a heat pump-only system. One of the main ones is the amount of hot air a heat pump produces. In most cases, a heat pump is only capable of raising the temperature of the air coming into the system by around 20-25 degrees. That means if the interior of the house is currently 65 degrees, the air coming out of your vents will typically only be 90 degrees at the most.

While this isn’t always a problem, it does mean that it may take quite a long time if a heat pump has to raise the temperature from 65 to 70 degrees. In fact, it will likely take at least a few hours since a heat pump-only system usually can’t increase the temperature in a house by more than 1-2 degrees per hour. That means you can encounter some fairly major issues getting your home sufficiently warm again in situations such as if you turn your heating down before going to bed or leaving for work.

Another concern with having only a heat pump is that the system also requires a supplementary or auxiliary source of heating. A standard heat pump-only system has electric heat strips installed within the house that serve this purpose. These heat strips will run occasionally, such as when the system needs to bring the temperature up by more than a couple of degrees.

In this case, both the heat pump and heat strips will stay on so that the temperature rises faster. The heat strips will also sometimes kick on during the heat pump’s defrost cycle if the temperature inside the house starts dropping before the defrost cycle finishes. The other reason the heat strips are necessary is just in case the heat pump fails to run for any reason or if it is ever too cold outside for it to continue heating. The problem with this type of system is the amount of power electric heat strips use, which is usually at least three to four times as much as a heat pump.

How a Dual-Fuel Heating System Works

In a dual-fuel heating system, the gas furnace takes the place of the electric heat strips and provides the necessary auxiliary heating. As long as the temperature outside isn’t extremely cold, the heat pump will still do most of the work of maintaining your preferred temperature. The main role the gas furnace plays is in allowing you to heat your house much faster after you’ve had the temperature turned down. It will also run if needed when the heat pump is defrosting.

Gas furnaces are far and away the fastest and most effective method of heating. Instead of only raising the temperature by 20 degrees or so, a furnace heats the air coming into it to at least 120 degrees. That means it will take far less time for your home to get hot enough when the furnace is running than it would for the heat pump and heat strips to bring the temperature back up. The furnace is also a much more reliable and effective backup in the event the heat pump stops working or can’t work because the outside air temperature is too low.

How a Dual-Fuel HVAC System Can Save You Money

The biggest benefit a dual-fuel heating system has over a standard heat pump system with electric heat strips is that it will generally be the cheapest and most effective option for heating a house. A heat pump is the best and cheapest option if you live in a warmer climate where the winters are mild and never get very cold. That’s because of how much more efficient heat pumps are and also because you then won’t need heat strips or any other type of auxiliary heating. In Oregon, however, a dual-fuel system is the most efficient and effective option.

The heat pump part of the system will typically use at least two to three times less energy than the furnace. Nonetheless, the gas furnace will use far less energy than compared to what electric heat strips would. Another reason you’ll save on heating costs is that the heat pump won’t potentially need to run for hours when your system is colder since the furnace will kick in and quickly heat your house in these situations.

After that, the heat pump will then only run as much as necessary to ensure the temperature doesn’t start dropping. The fact that heat pumps are so energy efficient also means that a dual-fuel system will cost you far less to run compared to a traditional HVAC system with a standard central AC unit and a gas furnace.

Federal Tax Credits and Savings

Another great benefit is that if you choose a system with an ENERGY STAR-rated heat pump and furnace, you can earn a federal tax credit of up to $2,600. Qualifying heat pumps are eligible for up to a $2,000 credit and qualifying furnaces are eligible for up to a $600 credit. These two credits fall into separate categories, meaning you can earn both of them with a dual-fuel system. If you were to instead upgrade to a new ENERGY STAR-rated AC unit and furnace, you’d only be eligible for up to a $1,200 credit.

Extended Lifespan

A dual-fuel HVAC system usually has a longer lifespan than a heat pump-only system. Heat pumps often only last for 10 to 12 years at the most as a result of them working throughout the summer and winter instead of only one or the other. With a dual-fuel system, you can potentially get a few more years of life out of the heat pump since it won’t run quite as much in the winter as it would in a standard heat pump system.

Your Local HVAC Experts

For the past 35 years, Climate Control has been providing exceptional heating and cooling services in Portland, OR and the surrounding areas. Our NATE-certified technicians are experts in residential and commercial HVAC installation, maintenance, and repairs and can reliably manage all of your comfort needs. If you’re interested in upgrading to a dual-fuel HVAC system, we have a range of options to suit your home and your budget. We also offer financing options for new cooling and heating system installations on approved credit.

To set up a consultation with one of our comfort professionals and learn which type of HVAC system is the best option for your home, contact us today.