Heat Pump Or Furnace: How To Choose (NAPSA)—Whichever season you choose to replace your home’s heating system in, the deciding factor on which system to use may be the weather. If you live in an area where the temperature rarely dips below 40 degrees, you can probably heat your home more affordably with a heat pump than a furnace. That’s because furnaces tend to be more expensive to operate, depending on the cost of the electricity in your area or the natural gas and oil that are used to operate them. However, if the temperature outside your home is typically colder than 40 degrees, consider having a furnace installed. Furnaces can more easily maintain warm temperatures, when the difference between the temperature outside and inside increases. Another important factor to consider is efficiency. The efficiency of a gas furnace is indi- cated by the unit’s Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rat- ing, while the Heating Season Performance Factor (HSPF) measures a heat pump’sefficiency. The higher the AFUE or HSPF, the more efficient the unit and the less fuel it requires to heat your home. Although electric furnaces are often considered 100 percent efficient, remember that the system’s initial cost should be weighed against the annual operating expense. A third factor to consider when selecting a heat pump or furnace is the manufacturer. Select a When replacing your home’s heating system, be sure to choose a unit with proven fuel efficiency. brand of equipment that has a reputation for quality, energy efficiency and reliability. For example, the York brand of heating and cooling equipment from Johnson Controls has been around for more than 130 years. The new Affinity series of furnaces and heat pumpsoffers the latest features in heating technology and control systems. The Affinity furnaces feature variable speeds to improveefficiency, main- tain constant temperatures and reduce soundlevels. The electronic controls on the Affinity furnaces and heat pumps mayoffer tighter temperature control and the ability to program periods of temperature setback, improving both system efficiency and occupant comfort. To learn more about York heating systems, visit www.yorkupg. com orcall (800) 910-YORK.
