Phoenix, AZ has a hot desert climate. With summertime temperatures often reaching into triple digits, it’s hard to imagine needing heating in winter. But when the sun sets, the winter weather can become chilly. With nighttime temperatures as low as 40 degrees, it’s important to have reliable, whole-house heating. Fortunately, you have several options in high-performing, energy-efficient heating systems to choose from.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are an increasingly popular choice for heating in Phoenix. As whole-house climate control systems, they solve two problems. These appliances provide heating in winter and cooling in summer. With a heat pump, you’ll have less equipment to maintain and year-round comfort.
During summer, heat pumps are functionally identical to central air conditioners. They draw warm air in, pass it over their cooling coils, and extract its heat using refrigerant. In winter, they work in reverse. They draw outdoor air in, extract its heat, and funnel it inside. Most air source heat pumps can harness heat from the outdoor air even when temperatures dip well below freezing.
Why Phoenix Is the Perfect Location for a Heat Pump
In cold-weather climates, heat pumps lose efficiency whenever outdoor temperatures fall below 40 degrees. Although they can continue heating homes for quite a while, they use more energy to do so. Given that temperatures in Phoenix rarely pass this point, heat pumps always operate at optimum efficiency.
In ideal conditions, a heat pump can operate at 400% efficiency. In this state, it produces four times as much heating energy as it consumes in electric energy. This makes heat pumps an excellent choice for Phoenix locals seeking to lower their energy bills and their carbon footprints.
Ductless Mini-Split Systems
Ductless mini-split heat pumps offer the same year-round climate control that ducted heat pumps supply. However, they work well for older, historic properties that lack the ducting to support central HVAC.
When installing ductless mini-split heat pumps, HVAC technicians divide homes into multiple service areas. They install a separate, independently controlled air handler and thermostat in each service area. Each air handler connects to the same outside condenser unit. Ductless mini-split systems can support up to eight air handlers and eight service areas or zones.
Zero Duct-Related Energy Losses
Like ducted heat pumps, ductless mini-split systems can produce up to four times as much heating energy as they consume in electric energy. However, ducted heat pumps offer higher levels of efficiency due to the way in which they distribute heated air.
Ductless mini-split systems distribute heated air right where they produce it. With no ductwork, they have no duct-related energy losses. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), HVAC air ducts can lose as much as 40% of the heating energy that central HVAC systems produce.
Dry Mode Settings
Heat pumps have dry mode settings that homeowners can use to extract excess moisture from the air. If you have guests in your home for the holidays, you may have condensation-covered windows and a damp, muggy living space. With lots of people taking hot showers and multiple cooking projects, dry mode can balance your humidity when your heat pump isn’t heating.
Zoned Temperature Control
The zoned temperature control that ductless mini-split systems provide caters to the often-diverse needs and preferences of building residents. With independently controlled thermostats in each zone, people can create their preferred temperatures in their immediate areas.
Zoning with a ductless system also eliminates the need to heat empty spaces. With whole-house heating from a ductless mini-split, you can turn thermostats down or turn air handlers off in unused rooms or floors.
Minimally Invasive Installation
For homes that lack central HVAC air ducts, installing a ductless mini-split is only minimally invasive. HVAC technicians install air handlers on walls or ceilings and mount condenser units on concrete pads in back or side yards.
They connect air handlers to condenser units by drilling a small hole in the exterior wall of each zone. Then, they pass refrigerant tubing and electrical wires through these holes. In most cases, the diameter of each hole is just three inches. This is far less disruptive to building materials than post-construction ductwork retrofitting.
Heating for Remote Rooms
Even if you already have a central heater, a ductless mini-split could still be an excellent addition to your home. You can install a mini-split heat pump to heat new building additions or remote rooms. For instance, a mini-split can heat your attic bedroom, finished basement, home office, or attached garage. These systems are also great for correcting hot and cold spots.
Traditional Furnaces
Furnaces work well for Phoenix households with relatively new air conditioners and existing ducting. A new furnace can share an air handler and ducting with your current cooling equipment. Compared to other heating system types, furnaces have a modest upfront cost. Given that they don’t pull double-duty as cooling systems, they often have longer lifespans as well.
Gas-Fueled vs. Electric Furnaces
Gas-fueled furnaces provide rapid heating while producing heat at high temperatures. Some gas furnaces can produce heat at 120 degrees. This is perfect for ultra-cold winters, but it might not be necessary for your Phoenix home.
Among the best reasons to choose a gas-fired furnace in Phoenix are low natural gas prices. When electricity rates spike, having a gas heater will keep your heating costs down.
If you’re worried about your carbon footprint, you can choose a high-efficiency gas furnace. With secondary heat exchangers and tightly sealed combustion chambers, high-efficiency gas furnaces can have annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) ratings as high as 99%. With an AFUE rating of 99%, a gas furnace will convert 99% of the natural gas it consumes into usable heat energy and lose just 1% as emissions.
All electric furnaces have AFUE ratings of 100%. They convert all the electricity they use into heat energy. They also produce even, radiant heat at temperatures between 85 degrees and 95 degrees. This is preferable to the hotter operating temperatures of a gas furnace if you often struggle with dry indoor air in winter.
Hybrid Heating Systems
You also have the option of installing a hybrid heating system. These combine the high efficiency of heat pumps with the hotter heat of gas furnaces. To ensure consistently optimum performance, hybrid heating systems convert to gas heating when outside temperatures dip below a heat pump’s ideal operating point.
Although you’re unlikely to need the high heat of a gas furnace in a Phoenix winter, you may want the option of switching to gas heating if local electricity rates soar. A hybrid heating system with manual heat source selection will allow you to choose your preferred fuel type at any time. Best of all, the heat pumps in hybrid heating systems offer efficient cooling in summer.
Cool Zone Air Conditioning & Heating proudly serves Phoenix and the surrounding areas with expert heating installation services. We offer and install high-quality and highly efficient heat pumps, furnaces, and ductless mini-split systems. To find the best heating solution for your Phoenix home, get in touch with Cool Zone Air Conditioning & Heating today!
