HVAC Basics: Heat pump & furnace matched system
By Anne Fonda with expert review by Kimberly Sexton, Senior Systems Engineer
A heat pump and furnace system, also known as a hybrid HVAC system or dual-fuel heat pump system, combines the best features of both components into a single, energy-efficient heating and cooling system.
Heat pump + furnace: How does it work?
Air source heat pumps extract heat from the air and transfer heat from where it’s not needed to where it’s needed. They use the refrigeration cycle and special heat pump technology to both heat and cool your home.
In the warmer months, the electric heat pump works like an air conditioner to cool your home, the same as a central air conditioning system would.
In colder months, the heat pump changes to heat mode and heats your home until the outdoor temperatures drop far enough that it becomes less efficient. At that point, the gas furnace kicks in to keep your home comfortably warm. When temperatures rise, the heat pump takes over again. This switchover will happen automatically.
The temperature at which the switchover happens will vary, based on your heat pump’s heating efficiency. It could be around freezing with a standard heat pump, but it could be single digits or even sub-zero temperatures with a cold climate heat pump.
“Our advice is to install a heat pump even when installing a gas furnace. This is called a hybrid heating system, and just like a hybrid car or truck, it will operate on electricity most of the time and switch to the gas furnace whenever the temperatures get cold enough that it is needed.”
– Mark Woodruff, Senior Product Manager, Ducted Outdoors
Why choose a hybrid system
If you live in an area with colder winters, a standard heat pump may have trouble heating your home efficiently when the temperatures drop below freezing. Even if you have a cold climate heat pump, having a gas furnace as a backup heat source will give you peace of mind. In northern states, you never know when a polar vortex may bring frigid Arctic air for days at a time.
Many of our product managers and engineers have a Trane hybrid system in their own homes.
Enable HVAC remote monitoring for peace of mind
If you have a Trane smart thermostat, you can take advantage of the benefits of Trane Diagnostics by opting in via the Home App.
- Dealers can spot small problems early and fix them before they become big problems.
- Remote troubleshooting and remote repairs (if possible) save you and the dealer time and money.
- You get peace of mind, knowing that your dealer can monitor your HVAC system’s health, even when you’re away from home.
Trane Diagnostics is secure. It only lets your dealer access information about how your HVAC system is performing. Your dealer will not get access to any other device in your home, including devices connected to the Home App. Your data remains encrypted.
“Our connected platform is built to safeguard homeowners' privacy while helping dealers keep their systems running at its best.”
– Mark Racine, Product Manager, Diagnostics and Tech App
Anne Fonda, Content Writer
A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.
She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.
When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.
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