Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning owner Phil Montgomery always looks for ways to help his homeowners find the most efficient and cost effective ways to heat and cool their homes. One way some homeowners can recognize energy savings is through the use of a hybrid heating system.

How might a hybrid heating system work in your Atlanta home?

But what exactly is a hybrid heating system?

“A hybrid heating system is a combination of a heat pump and a gas furnace,” says Montgomery. “They offer efficiency and great comfort levels, while also offering homeowners smaller carbon footprints.”

The gas furnace can be powered by either natural gas or propane, while the heat pump is electric. While the Atlanta area doesn’t often experience the frigid temperatures of other areas in the country, we do get our share of cold weather. And many homeowners find that the combination heating system provides them the best of both worlds.

“Some people find that an entirely electrical system may not be as efficient when temperatures get especially cold, say under 40 degrees,” say Montgomery. “By being able to switch to a gas powered furnace at these colder temperatures, you ensure your family is always as comfortable as possible.”

A heat pump is typically the most economically efficient way to heat a home in cooler weather. Even when the air outside feels cold, the heat pump can still extract any warm air in it and then pump it inside your home. But once temperatures drop too much, it becomes harder to find that warmer air, so that’s when the furnace kicks in.

The initial cost to install a hybrid heating system will be slightly higher than a standard, single source heating element. However, the average hybrid heating system can cut utility expenses by around 10 percent when compared to conventional heating units.

But what Montgomery finds that homeowners love most is the comfort level a hybrid unit can provide.

“A hybrid heating system gives homeowners the best of both worlds,” says Montgomery. “When it’s only slightly chilly out, homeowners don’t really want to powerful blasts of warm air that a furnace offers, and prefer the soft and steady heating power of a heat pump. But when the mercury drops, a heat pump can make a home feel draftier, while a furnace will make it nice and toasty warm.”