Environmental concerns, potential cost savings and available tax credits are some of the reasons why more people are opting for heat pumps over gas furnaces.
TOLEDO, Ohio — With temperatures plummeting in the last few weeks, people have once again been thinking about how to keep the air in their homes nice and comfortable.
In homes around northwest Ohio, that has largely meant natural gas or propane furnaces.
But there is a new type of heating system that is becoming more popular: the heat pump.
Although more prevalent in milder climates such as those in southern states where air rarely reaches extreme cold temperatures, heat pumps are of growing interest in northern states like Ohio.
There are several reasons for this.
Heat pumps are more efficient than natural gas furnaces according to the U.S. Department of Energy, since, instead of generating heat, they work by transferring heat from one space to another rather than generating heat from burning fossil fuel. …