When our fiance and I built a new lake house in Glenview, IL, temperature control was a major consideration! The average annual temperature in our local area swings from the low teens into the high eighties.
There are concerns with high humidity in the Summer and overly dry air in the winter… For the majority of the year, heating and cooling is necessary.
Both of us need equipment that is powerful plus energy efficient! I looked into all unusual styles of systems, including furnaces, air conditioners, boilers and heat pumps… Eventually, I came across a hybrid oil furnace, which combines a natural gas furnace with an electric heat pump, and although this pick was more high-priced than a more traditional alternative, the cost savings on biweekly biweekly bills suddenly salvageed the investment. The benefit of a heat pump rather than an air conditioner is that it provides both heating and cooling, and over the summer, the heat pump keeps the lake house perfectly cool. It effectively dehumidifies and offers exceptional energy efficiency… When the weather turns cooler, the heat pump switches over to heating mode and literally reverses the flow of refrigerant… Rather than burning fossil fuels, the plan utilizes existing ambient heat in the outside air, compressing it to a higher temperature and transferring it into the house. The heat pump is more environmentally friendly and energy efficient than the furnace. Both of us only require the furnace once the outdoor conditions drop below cold. At that point, the heat pump loses effectiveness and the furnace automatically starts up. Both of us enjoy ideal comfort no matter what the weather brings.