The two most common types of furnaces are natural gas furnaces and electric furnaces. For heater replacement in Pittsburgh, PA, the most popular choice by far is a natural gas furnace. The upfront costs of installation are typically lower than that of an electric furnace. They cost around the same to operate, though natural gas may be less expensive, depending on gas price fluctuations. If you're looking for something reliable that can heat up your home very quickly, natural gas is the obvious choice. However, gas systems need to be diligently maintained to avoid the possibility of a carbon monoxide leak.
Electric furnaces operate more quietly. They are typically longer-lived than gas models and comparatively low maintenance.
Heat Pump Heater Replacement
Don't let the name fool you—heat pumps are capable of both cooling and heating your home using the refrigeration cycle of transforming coolant from liquid to gas and back again. When it is cold outside and you need heat, the heat pump moves thermal energy from outside to indoors, and when summer rolls around and you need to cool the house, it moves thermal energy from inside to outside.
In the past, heat pumps were really only suitable for warm climates with a low demand for heating power, but that has changed. Certain improvements have made them suitable for colder areas because they are able to extract enough thermal energy when it's cold out to heat your house. Heat pumps are energy efficient, quiet and generally inexpensive to operate. They can run on central ductwork, but if your house doesn't already have ducts, a mini-split system that eliminates the need for ductwork is a feasible option as well.