From Hybrid Cars to Hybrid Comfort Systems
By Jay Peabody
Hybrid comfort systems are like the hybrid cars everyone wants. Hybrid vehicles use 2 energy sources, normally gas and electricity. And while everyone acts like the concept of hybrid comfort systems is new, it is not. The electronic research institute started to recommend hybrid comfort systems (known as dual fuel systems) in the 1980’s. What is “New” is a broad acceptance of the concept. Until recently few people were interested in paying a little more up front for a hybrid vehicle. After all, gas was abundant and cheap, but now record gas prices have consumers snapping up hybrid vehicles of dealer lots faster than they can be built.
Hybrid heating systems use electric heat pumps during cool weather and gas furnaces during extreme temperatures. Heat pumps deliver a constant mellow heat that most people prefer. Gas furnaces by contrast, deliver intermittent blasts of hot air during mild weather. Of course, when it gets really cold people prefer gas furnaces. They enjoy the toasty feeling of the higher temperature air a gas furnace provides. Because heat pumps deliver lower temperature air than a gas furnace, heat pumps can feel drafty during extremely cod weather. Hybrid heating systems use each type of heating technology where it is more comfortable. When it is chilly, the system operates off electricity and delivers the heat pumps steady, mellow heat. When it is really cold, the hybrid comfort system automatically switches to the gas furnace for its warmer toasty air. Hybrid comfort systems offer the ultimate in comfort, even better; the hybrid system costs less to operate.
Hybrid comfort systems use free heat. It can feel really cold outdoors yet there is still heat in the air. The heat pump collects this heat and transfer’s this heat inside. It literally pumps free heat from outdoors into your home. Example; at 17 degrees outside a heat pump can still be 270% efficient compared to a high efficiency furnace at 96%.
Although the heat pump collects free heat, you still have to pay for the mechanical energy needed to pump the heat inside. Your actual savings vary based on the efficiency of components selected, your utility rates (that continue to climb), how you use the system and of course, the weather. A hybrid comfort system should save you 30-50%. With skyrocketing energy prices, 30% is nothing to sneeze at. That A/C unit outside your home now does so much more than cool your home…a comfortable heat at a tremendous savings.
About the Author
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| Jay Peabody, Ber's Heating and Cooling
1988 Pearl Road
Brunswick, OH 44212
330-764-1011
Contact Author: request info
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