Furnace, Heat Pump, or Both? A Straight Look at Your Options Before Winter

If your furnace is starting to show its years, you're going to face a question that didn't exist a decade ago: replace it with another furnace, or switch to a heat pump?

There's no universal answer, and anyone who gives you one without seeing your house is guessing. But there is a clear way to think about it.

First, is your system actually telling you something?

Before the replace-or-repair conversation, it's worth knowing what warning signs look like. The ones we tell homeowners to watch for:

• Uneven heating or cooling between rooms
• Unusual noises
• Rising energy bills with no change in usage
• Frequent cycling

Any of those showing up consistently is worth a call, whether or not you're ready to replace anything.

The basic difference

A furnace burns gas to produce heat. A heat pump moves heat from one place to another rather than generating it, which also means it works in reverse during summer and acts as your air conditioner.

That second point is the one that changes the math. If your air conditioner is also nearing the end of its life, you're not comparing a furnace to a heat pump. You're comparing a furnace plus an air conditioner to a single heat pump. That's a different conversation, and it's the one worth having.

What we install

Here at My Fireplace, we handle installation, maintenance, and repair across furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, ductless systems, air quality products, water heaters, and thermostats.

Furnaces. The Lennox SLP99V sits at the top of the line, with the Lennox EL297V and Lennox ML296V as strong mid-range and value options. If you're weighing the variable-speed upgrade, we covered that trade-off in our post on single-speed versus variable-speed blowers.

Heat pumps. The Lennox SL22KLV, Lennox EL18KSLV, and Lennox EL16KP1.

Air conditioning, if you're keeping a gas furnace: the Lennox SL25KCV, Lennox EL18KCV, and Lennox EL15KC1.

Controls. Whatever you install, the thermostat is what makes it behave sensibly, and that matters most in a system that has to decide between two heat sources. The Lennox S40 Smart Thermostat, Lennox E30 Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat, and  Ecobee Smart Thermostat Lite are all great options.

When the problem is one room, not the house

If your complaint is a converted garage, a bonus room, or an addition that's never been comfortable, extending ductwork is often the wrong tool. Ductless mini splits heat and cool a single zone independently. Look at the Lennox MWMD, Lennox MMLD, or Lennox MMPD.

For a workshop or detached garage, a dedicated unit like the Lennox LF25 Low Profile Compact Gas Unit Heater is the simpler route.

If you're on a boiler system rather than forced air, we also carry the Weil-McLain Ultra, Weil-McLain WM97+, and Lennox GWM-IE.

Don't skip the air side

Sealing a house up for winter concentrates on whatever is already inside it. If you're replacing equipment anyway, it's the natural moment to look at ventilation and filtration rather than treating it as a separate job later.

Worth considering: the Lennox PureAir Air Purification System, Healthy Climate HRV or ERV for fresh air exchange, and a whole-home bypass humidifier if your house gets uncomfortably dry in January. More on this in our indoor air quality guide.

The part where we stop guessing

Everything above is general. Your answer depends on your ductwork, your home's envelope, whether you have gas service, and what your current equipment is worth.

So we come out and look. There is no charge for a home assessment. One of our team members, reviews the space and your needs, and gives you real options instead of a single recommendation. No obligation attached.

Book a free in-home assessment, or browse the full HVAC lineup first.

Worth checking our current promotions before you decide, and we offer financing if you'd rather spread the cost.

After it's installed

Whatever you put in, it lasts longer if someone looks at it regularly. Our Planned Service Maintenance Program includes priority scheduling, same-day service appointments, a 10% discount on repair parts and associated labour, discounts on replacement filters, a 5% discount on new equipment, and emergency service within 12 hours or you don't pay the service call fee.

Our technicians are factory-trained, and we've been serving London, St. Thomas, and the surrounding communities for close to thirty years. For urgent problems, our 24-hour line is (519) 652-0416.

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