This topic has been addressed countless times and natural gas always has always won the debate.

Is that the same for dryers as well do you know?

Does the heat pump run separate from furnace and then gas would power backup furnace. I know this probably a dumb question but

Which is better depends on the climate where you are and the prices of electricity and natural gas.

At first you ask if anyone is unhappy with electric heat, my answer is no. Then you make additional posts with in-depth questions without furnishing your location or other details. Are you only cruising the web asking questions to pass time or do you want information that helps you decide what you should choose?

We have a heat pump and it is extremely efficient, even in cold temps. We were going to do a gas back-up as suggested below, but decided not to and have no regrets.

Pargo - there are a ton of variables when it comes to heat pumps and cold temperatures, as I'm sure you know. Today's heat pumps are a LOT more efficient than they were even a decade ago. Ours has a variable speed compressor, which makes a huge difference. We've never had the strips kick in, but admittedly it's never gotten below 25 degrees. So, yes, it's very efficient for us.

Comes down to the energy that is least expensive in your area. The costs vary greatly from region to region. The appliances all do an equally great job--if used as the specs call for. It's about the cost.

You can be comfortable in most climate zones in the U.S. with forced air heat produced by either a heat pump or a gas-fired furnace. Economics aside, comfort is achieved with proper equipment sizing and duct design--both of which are challenges for the majority of HVAC contractors. Given that the service life of duct work can be two or more times the service life of a typical heat pump, ensuring the duct design is right the first time is a good investment in my opinion.

Is anyone unhappy about all electric and the way it heats?

There have been posts on the HVAC forum where people commenting the temperature of the air flow in their forced air heating system is not as hot compared to a gas furnace. I suspect this are caused by installation problems and incorrect sizing. The winter climate also plays a role as to how happy people are with their all electric heating system.

Is that the same for dryers as well do you know?

In most parts of the US it costs less to dry clothes with a gas dryer compared to the equivalent electric model. This question can't be answered without know your electric and gas rates and if you have solar panels.

Does the heat pump run separate from furnace and then gas would power backup furnace?

Yes in a typical installation the heat pump and gas furnace does not operate at the same time.

What is most important to you in making the decision to install an all electric HVAC? Do you want the lowest installation and operating costs, or are you trying to produce the lowest amount of carbon emissions? You answer will determine what solution would satisfy your criteria.

This is something to be discussed with HVAC pros. Heat pumps are very popular where I live and I do like the idea of the AC and heat all in one unit but I do not love heating vents . We have gas fired boiler that heats out home with rads and the fact is we have so much less dust and so much more even heat I just use portable ACs for the 4 months we want AC. Your climate and the price of the choices are what drive the heating and cooling anywhere.

"There have been posts on the HVAC forum where people commenting the temperature of the air flow in their forced air heating system is not as hot compared to a gas furnace. I suspect this are caused by installation problems and incorrect sizing."

The temperature differential across a heat pump indoor coil in heating mode typically runs between 20F to 30F The temperature differential for a gas-fired furnace typically runs between 40F to 70F (the temperature rise for the specific furnace should be stated on the nameplate.) So it's no mystery that the air temperature at supply registers is noticeably warmer for a system with a furnace vs. heat pump. For the same heating load, the heat pump system will need to produce a higher air flow rate and the design of the duct work needs to account for that.

I have never owned a heat pump, nor have I ever had the pleasure of specifying and installing one. I would think you could design a heat pump size and electric heat strips to work in tandem to produce the same amount of BTUs as gas furnace to operate on the coldest night anticipated in the winter. This is will increase the installation and operating costs if that is a concern.

Ideally, you want to utilize a heat pump for heating provided the COP is greater than 1 (COP varies with temperature.) The point is that for the same heating load, you'll need a greater air flow rate if the temperature is say, 90F at the supplies than if you have a gas furnace where the temperature is 140F at the supplies and that requires larger ductwork.

Some of the above comments are glossing over one of the realities - BTU requirements.

Unless you're talking about a new, ultra insulated, ultra tight house that is heated almost by body heat alone (slight exaggeration), your equipment needs to be serious about producing heat.

A heat pump install is your air conditioning and heating systems combined in one. As was mentioned above, equipment is sized to meet the home's heat gain and loss (for each time of the year) as determined by its existing construction features and location. They're rarely similar numbers.

Conventional residential heat pumps (as with ACs) are sized by the ton. One ton= 12,000 BTUs of heating or cooling. The largest units are 5 tons, 60K BTUs. Ideally, the sizing is chosen based on the greater number as between heat gain and heat loss, meaning - a house in a cooler climate will have its heat pump sized to meet the heating need and so could be quite oversized when running as air conditioning. The opposite is also true - a heat pump sized to meet a higher cooling requirement may be oversized when running in heating mode.

The average existing US house often needs more than 60K BTUs per hour of heating. Heat pump heat production can be supplemented with electrical resistance strips (like a toaster uses) but these are very, very expensive to run through a cooling season.

For purposes of control and economy too, larger houses will often have two or more heat/cool producing equipment installs covering different parts of the house - maybe one for upstairs and another for downstairs, or split between different adjacent rooms of the house. Doing that also reduces the BTU demand (and so equipment size) each system needs to cover.

A house with one existing duct system made for one furnace (plus an integrated AC unit) will often not be suitable for an equipment replacement using one heat pump.

Gas furnaces are available in sizes from the low 40K to 150K BTUs. Again, heat pumps range from 12K to 60K in 12 K increments.

If your house needs 90K BTUs per hour for heating, as an example, and has one duct system, you will not be able to use a heat pump without the significant cost of changing the duct work. If you're doing a massive remodel, this could be possible. Not otherwise.

Edit for correction to what I said above-

electrical resistance strips would supplement heat produced by the heat pump's normal output during HEATING season.

"Heat pump heat production can be supplemented with electrical resistance strips (like a toaster uses) but these are very, very expensive to run through a cooling season."

Whaa? In my area, we don't use heat strips in a cooling season. Might be different west of the Rockies. I don't have any experience there.

Funny guy. Obviously an error, should be heating season.

If what I wrote left you flummoxed when you read it, you may want to limit what you do without adult supervision. I assume the national distribution of dimwits is proportional to population West and East of the Rockies. Though not necessarily the distribution of people with common sense and good judgement.

I'm not a funny guy, Elmer. Just trying to make sense of what you wrote. Can't do that.

No need to play dumb. Or if that's the best you can do, get a chaperone.

Not sure how much HVAC expertise you have to offer Houzzers, Elmer. If I recall correctly, your career was in shoe sales. And I'm assuming that was west of the Rockies.

I believe his career choice was in accounting as the evening cashier at the SF golden corral, I do recall someone mentioning this fact here. He had to account for every penny in the til. A wasted talent sitting behind a cash register when he could have been installing Air Conditioners.

In a recent thread, Elmer admonished Houzzers east of the Rockies to not weigh in on HVAC issues west of the Rockies. If they use electric back up heat strips in cooling mode west of the Rockies, I certainly understand the logic.

Elmer? Elmer? Bueller? Bueller...

Some times it's better to say nothing and let people think you are dumb than speak up and remove all doubt. Reminds me of the dog chasing every car that came down the road until he caught a VW Bug and burned his nose on the tailpipe.

Exactly. You beat me to it, klem, I was going to say the same thing. One guy I already mostly ignore, his comments are often foolish and add little value. Another for the list.

We had all new HVAC done in 2016. Probably had 2 dozen different HVAC contractors at our house, and bids from at least 12 of them. Confusing to say the least!

My husband and I spent a lot of time (and asked a lot of questions) on this website:

HVAC-Talk.com

It's pros from all over the country who will answer your questions.

We ended up with the BEST HVAC company/contractor and the BEST value for our $$$.