Pros and Cons of Electric Heat Pumps Compared to Wood Stoves

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Even though heating with a wood stove is often considered an outdated way to keep warm at home, many people still rely on wood heat today. Electrical heat pumps are perhaps one of the most modern types of home heating. If you are currently using a wood stove to heat your home, and you are considering making the change to a heat pump, it is best to do your research before making the change. Here is a look at a few of the pros and cons of electric heat pumps compared to wood stoves. 

Pro: Heat pumps give you more consistent heating. 

One of the biggest problems with heating a structure with a wood stove is the fact that maintaining a consistent temperature can be hard to achieve. You can use the dampers to control the burning wood, use fans to disperse heat, and even change up the type of wood to variate the heat provided, but there is little consistency in temperatures throughout your home nevertheless. Heat pumps usually get connected to a duct system so you have the same level of heat in every room, and, of course, you will have a thermostat to control the temperature. 

Con: Heat pumps cannot function without power or fuel. 

If the power goes out, your heat pump is no longer going to function. Naturally, wood stoves can still be used even if there is no power to the home, which is nice during an emergency. You can have a small generator installed that powers a heat pump in the event of an emergency power outage, however. 

Pro: Heat pumps provide you a clean way to heat your home. 

heating with wood can be considered a messy thing. You have to haul wood into the house, deal with soot and ashes regularly, and make sure the stovepipes are properly eliminating vapors from the burned wood. A heat pump is not burning anything; it is using geothermal energy from the ground or air to supply heat. Therefore, it is a far cleaner process. 

Con: Heat pumps are more difficult to maintain. 

Wood stoves are the most simplistic implements. They basically have an opening where the wood is burned, a tray to collect the burned ash, and a series of pipes. It is rare for something to go wrong with a wood stove because of their simple design. On the other hand, a heat pump is a complex system with a lot of parts and components. Therefore, these heating systems can require a little more maintenance attention over the years. 

For more information on heating systems, you can contact a company in your area like MP Heating and Cooling.

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18 October 2019