What Is a Dual-Fuel Heating System?

Have you heard of dual-fuel heating systems? They are centralized heating systems that leverage two types of fuel. If you’re thinking about upgrading your home’s heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system, you might be wondering whether a dual-fuel heating system is a smart investment. A dual-fuel heating system can warm your home during the winter like most other heating systems, but it uses two separate types of fuel.

Dual-Fuel Heating Systems Defined

A dual-fuel heating system is a type of central heating system that leverages an electric furnace as well as a heat pump. It’s essentially a combination of the two aforementioned heating systems. Dual-fuel heating systems contain a gas furnace and a heat pump. They are known as “dual-fuel heating systems” because they consume two types of fuel: gas for the furnace and electricity for the heat pump.

With a dual-fuel heating system, your home will be equipped with an electric furnace and a heat pump. You can switch between these two separate systems at the thermostat.

Benefits of Dual-Fuel Heating Systems

Dual-fuel heating systems offer several benefits. You can use them to both warm and cool your home, for instance. All dual-fuel heating systems contain a heat pump. Heat pumps are HVAC systems that can either transfer heat from inside of your home to the outside or transfer heat from the outside of your home to the inside. In the former mode, a heat pump will cool your home. In the latter mode, a heat pump will warm your home.

A dual-fuel heating system isn’t just effective at cooling; it’s energy efficient. A heat pump can cool your home using less energy than a traditional air conditioning system. And because dual-fuel heating systems contain a heat pump, they can save you money in the form of lower utility bills during the summer.

You’ll have a backup heating solution available with a dual-fuel heating system. If the furnace stops working, you can switch to the heat pump. The heat pump in a dual-fuel heating system has two modes: heating and cooling. In the event that your furnace fails or otherwise struggles to warm your home, you can switch to the heat pump.

Of course, you can use a dual-fuel heating system either with or without an air conditioning system. An air conditioning system will provide stronger cooling power, making this setup preferable among homeowners in the Southeast.