When it's time to replace your heating system, the biggest decision is whether to go with a heat pump or a furnace paired with an air conditioner. In Terrell — long, hot summers and mostly mild winters with the occasional hard freeze — both can be a good fit. The right choice depends on your home, your utility costs and what matters most to you.
How each one works
A furnace creates heat by burning natural gas (or propane), or by running electricity through heating elements. It handles heating only, so it's paired with a separate air conditioner for summer.
A heat pump is an air conditioner that can also run in reverse. Instead of creating heat, it moves heat — pulling it out of your home in summer and pulling warmth from the outdoor air into your home in winter. One outdoor unit handles both seasons, and electric backup heat strips take over when it gets very cold.
Operating cost and efficiency
Because a heat pump moves heat rather than generating it, it can deliver two to three times more heat energy than the electricity it uses in mild weather — a great match for typical North Texas winters. Its efficiency drops as temperatures fall, though, and during a hard freeze it leans on electric backup heat, which is expensive to run.
A gas furnace puts out the same heat no matter how cold it gets outside. Modern furnaces are rated by AFUE, typically from 80% to about 98%. Which system is cheaper to run depends on your local electric and gas rates, so it's worth looking at a year of your bills before deciding.
Comfort
Furnaces deliver noticeably hotter air, which many people like on a cold morning. Heat pumps deliver warm rather than hot air over longer, gentler cycles. Variable-speed heat pumps in particular keep temperatures very even and run quietly — and since a heat pump is also your air conditioner, its summer performance matters just as much as its winter performance here.
Upfront cost and installation
If your home already has a gas line and a furnace, replacing it with a new furnace and air conditioner is usually straightforward. If you don't have gas, a heat pump avoids the cost of running a new line and replaces both your heating and cooling with one outdoor unit. Ask about current utility rebates and manufacturer promotions, which change often and can shift the math.
The best of both: dual fuel
A dual-fuel (or hybrid) system pairs a heat pump with a gas furnace. The heat pump handles cooling and most of the heating, and the system switches to gas automatically when the temperature drops below a set point. For homes that already have gas, it's often the most efficient option year-round.
Which is right for your home?
- Choose a heat pump if your home is all-electric, you want one system for both seasons, or you're focused on efficiency in mild weather.
- Choose a gas furnace if you already have gas service and prefer hotter air, especially in an older or draftier home.
- Choose dual fuel if you have gas available and want the lowest operating cost across the whole year.
We install all three and will give you written quotes so you can compare side by side. Start with our AC installation and replacement page, or get a quick price on the online estimate page. If your current heater just needs a fix, see heating and furnace repair.
