Once the temperature starts getting low, the snow gets its way to the roads; we keep ourselves warm by sizzling hot stews or broths along with setting the thermostats on.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
A dual fuel thermostat is becoming way more common these days because of their enhanced fuel efficiency. It pairs up a gas furnace to the heat pump to get things underway.
Many people are still using heat pumps – air conditioner that captures the heat from the inside air and releases it into the environment.
They work as an air conditioner in the summers and heat pumps in the winters. But wait! Have you ever wondered what happens when the outside air becomes cool enough below freezing temperatures? Things get challenging, no doubt.
So, here comes a dual fuel thermostat that comes right into play when it gets too colder outside. Every home should have this thermostat without getting the cost skyrocketing.
Wait, wait, wait! If you haven’t got the one, don’t forget to look out for some best dual fuel thermostats mentioned by gearorigin.
Let’s get right into the business!
Working of a Dual Fuel Thermostat
There’s a difference in working of a furnace and a heat pump. The heat pump extracts the heating air from the surroundings and transfers it to your inside home.
The reverse process happens when it’s time to cool the home. It removes the heat from indoors while keeping them cool. On the other hand, a furnace makes use of fossil fuels to generate heat.
Finally comes a dual fuel system that uses a heat pump to serve both as a heating and a cooling source for your homes.
So the heat pump comes into play as soon as the temperature remains above 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperatures become way lesser than this specified value, the furnace takes over the job to generate optimal heat.
We must say that a dual fuel thermostat is truly an automated tag-team affair.
Benefits of Dual Fuel Thermostat
Let’s explore the secret why the dual fuel thermostats are dominating these days!
Technology is changing the HVAC landscape!
There’s no exaggeration in saying that gas prices are on the way to a solid nosedive. While fracking has made it accessible to extract the gas from the earth, keeping the cost-efficiency in mind.
What’s the ultimate result? You get something to heat-up your homes to the optimal without investing a huge amount. It’s the most innovative approach made out in history, no doubt.
Do you really think the gas prices are dictating doomsday for the great heat pumps? Well, that’s not the case. The heat pump technology has many revolutionizations that have run a long way over the past decade.
If you still have the perception that heat pumps are way more costly to get operated in freezing temperatures, you certainly need to get a load of today’s market upgrades.
But wait, there’s more!
- Fuel Efficiency
The dual-fuel thermostats are made up of a gas furnace and an electric heat pump together in a single unit. Practically, they know well when to save energy and when to kick it off into high gear.
They do this job by having a complete eye over the external temperatures –thanks to the built-in sensors that get things underway.
The heat pump plays its role when the temperature is moderate outside. However, upon reaching the 35°F, the gas furnace comes into play, saving the maximum fuel inside.
Your home doesn’t even become too warm to burn things up or too cold to shiver. The inside temperature is consciously regulated according to the ambient temperature.
The dual-fuel thermostat keeps the environment healthy while keeping the fuel-efficiency going hand in hand.
- They are truly eco-friendly!
Can you believe that the dual-fuel thermostats are way more environmentally friendly, despite being highly practical? Just because they continuously don’t need gas to fuel the furnace up, you just need a lighter carbon footprint to get things done.
The electricity consumption in the heat pump makes the environment clean and healthy –it’s a sustainable heat source for your indoors.
When you get the duel fuel thermostat installed in your home, you’re simultaneously helping the earth.
- The cost-efficiency of dual-fuel inverters!
In the long run, when you try to run your heaters on the gas constantly, they’ll dig deeper in your pockets –ultimately running out of your budget.
Believe it or not, gas is actually way more costly than electricity. If you keep only a gas furnace in use for a part, you’ll feel the real-time difference in the budget going out too.
Although installing the dual-fuel heating system will cost you a bit higher than an average heat pump, it’s worth every penny by cutting your gas bills down.
- They are highly versatile, no doubt!
The dual-fuel inverters seamlessly switch between different functions due to their adaptability –we call it versatility.
If the ambient temperature is getting warmer, the electric heat pump comes into play to extract even the traces of warm air from inside homes to out. The ultimate result is, you get cooler and healthier indoors.
On the other hand, when the temperature chills out to the optimal winters, the furnace ensures warm and cosy indoors. The heat pumps automatically shut off at this stage and let the furnace do the job.
As the dual-fuel heater transfers energy so efficiently without consuming or wasting a bit of power, it’s an ideal choice for the people living in all four-season regions.
- Noiseless operations
The unique structure layout and smart engineering of dual-fuel thermostats operate and switch seamlessly between the modes.
That’s because the air compressors usually stand outside the home, so you’ll never hear any noise coming out your way.
They come with SilentComfort Technology to keep the entire operation noiseless.
- The indoor comfort
When the indoor environment becomes extremely dry in the winters leaving your skin dry and patchy, it’s time to introduce the dual-fuel thermostats right away.
Do you know that gas heat is really hotter –hot enough to make your skin dry? Yes! The air temperature coming through the vents is always higher than your body temperature.
While the heat generated by the heat pumps becomes cool sometimes, isn’t cool but we must say it’s still hotter than the surroundings.
The ultimate result? The ‘really hot’ heat generated by the natural gas heater dries the air by evaporating its water content. The ‘less hot’ heat produced by the heat pump isn’t that efficient to dry the air.
Some Cutting Corners
The significant disadvantage of a duel-fuel thermostat is its hefty price tag. As you’re getting two heating systems in a single unit, it will cost you for that too.
Some people still believe that this up-front cost is worth the lifetime of an efficient heating system.
Moreover, the larger heat pump has slightly lesser cooling power than the same-power AC system. It isn’t a significant drawback, but still, it’s noteworthy.
The Bottom Line; Is Dual-Heat Thermostat is Worth you?
On the paper, the dual-fuel heating systems sounds excellent with fuel-efficiency, cost-efficiency, and comfort going hand in hand.
Why don’t you justify it by installing the one in your home? If you have the following cutting corners in your home, there are good signs that you need to switch to the dual-heat thermostat.
- You’re struggling to get warm in lower temperatures.
- You often repair your heat pumps.
- You don’t take electricity as the most economical choice for your home.
- Getting warm in winters is running out of budget.
If you’re facing any of the above problems, you certainly need to check for some best dual-fuel thermostats.
But wait, the HVAC world is a complex one where you actually don’t know which system is ideal for your home. Have complete knowledge before getting any particular model.