Gas heating or heat pump? In view of the further increases in the bill, many are wondering what could be the best solution for their home. We assess the situation.
Winter is upon us and further increases in the bill, too! Therefore, many families are looking for solutions for heating their home without suffering a real drain. After all, when it comes to heating, one of the first thoughts is the cost of the solution you choose in your bill. With the intention of clarifying ideas a little, today we will compare two of the most common heating systems in Italian homes: the gas boiler and the heat pump.
Let’s start by saying that, the purpose of both devices is exactly the same, but with a totally different principle of operation. In fact, the main difference between a gas boiler and a heat pump lies in the energy resources used and the way in which the two systems generate heat.
In fact, while the gas boiler generates heat through the combustion of LPG, the heat pump draws the necessary energy from an external natural source such as air, water or geothermal energy.
Gas boiler: pros and cons
Among the main advantages of an LPG boiler, there is definitely the cost of purchasing and installing the system. In fact, the costs to be incurred are lower than for a heat pump. In addition, the gas boiler, unlike the heat pump, is not affected by external temperatures and maintains constant efficiency even in the coldest winter climates. However, this heating system has the disadvantage of using fossil fuel from non-renewable sources and releases harmful exhaust fumes.
Heat pump: pros and cons
Unlike LPG boilers, heat pumps are more environmentally friendly and, to generate heat, they use natural energy sources such as water, air or geothermal energy. Unfortunately, however, the efficiency of a heat pump is greatly affected by external temperatures and decreases as temperatures drop. Therefore, it is strongly not recommended in places with particularly cold temperatures such as, for example, mountain areas. In addition, the purchase and installation of a heat pump requires a greater economic effort than gas heating, but has significantly lower consumption in the long term.
In order to choose the heating system that best suits your needs, it is necessary to take into consideration mainly the climate of the place where you live. As we have already said, the heat pump is not recommended for mountain areas where temperatures are particularly low. However, it may prove to be a winning choice in regions with milder temperatures.
In any case, a little thought could also be addressed to the hybrid system, that is, which draws on both technologies. The hybrid system is the one that manages to guarantee the best advantages, both in terms of savings and constant efficiency.
Heating, the doubt: better gas or heat pump? pros and cons
