Hey Ed, Is a Gas Furnace More Efficient Than a Heat Pump?

In This Edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed Discusses if a Gas Furnace Is More Efficient Than a Heat Pump

Hey Ed, is a gas furnace more efficient than a heat pump? This is one of my biggest pet peeve questions that I hear over and over and people will comment, and they simply don't know the difference between the definition of economics and efficiency. Is, and this is in most markets, this isn't a guarantee, but I'm going to say typically in most markets, it's cheaper to make hot water with natural gas than it is with electric. But that natural gas water heater might only have an overall efficiency of 60 or 70%, whereas in an electric water heater, can be 100% efficient if we're talking about a standard electric resistance electric water heater. So even though one is 100% efficient and one might only be 60 or 65%, the cost per bid to you with the natural gas is substantially less. Therefore, the gas water heater is more economical but not more efficient. It might be the better choice, but if we're going to talk in efficiency or economics, we have to be specific when we choose which word to use. And that's the way I see it.

In This Edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed Discusses if a Gas Furnace Is More Efficient Than a Heat Pump