Heat Pumps vs. Electric Resistance Heat for Central Texas Homes

Quick answer: A heat pump moves heat from the outdoor air into your home, so in mild weather it can deliver two to three times as much heat as the electricity it uses. Electric resistance heat, including heat strips, turns electricity into heat one-for-one. In Central Texas, a heat pump is usually the better main heat source, with strips as backup.

Plenty of Central Texas homes are all-electric, which means winter heat comes from a heat pump, electric resistance heat or, very often, both working as a team. Our winters are mostly mild with a few sharp cold snaps thrown in to keep everyone humble. Knowing how each one works, and how they split the job, keeps you warm without a winter electric bill that makes you wince.

How does electric resistance heat work?

Electric resistance heat works like a toaster scaled up for the whole house. Electricity runs through a metal element, the element glows hot, and a blower pushes air across it and out through your ducts. In Central Texas homes it shows up in three forms:

• Electric furnaces: An air handler, usually in the attic, with large electric heating elements, often paired with a central air conditioner.
• Heat strips: Electric elements inside a heat pump’s air handler that add backup and supplemental heat.
• Wall heaters and space heaters: Room-by-room electric heaters, usually in older homes, additions and small spaces.

Resistance heat is simple and reliable, and it makes heat quickly no matter how cold it is outside. It’s also 100% efficient at the point of use: all the electricity becomes heat. The catch is that it can never do better than that: one unit of electricity in, one unit of heat out, every time.

How does a heat pump heat a home?

A heat pump moves heat instead of making it. In summer it works like an air conditioner, pulling heat out of your house and dumping it outside. In winter it runs in reverse, collecting heat from the outdoor air (there’s still plenty in 40°F air, even if it feels cold to you) and bringing it inside.

Moving heat takes less energy than creating it. In mild weather a heat pump commonly delivers two to three units of heat, or more, for every unit of electricity it uses. That’s why it can cost a lot less to run than resistance heat for the same warm house.

Heat pump heating efficiency is rated in HSPF2 (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor), and cooling efficiency in SEER2. Higher numbers mean more efficient. Both have been the federal rating standards since January 1, 2023.

Does a heat pump lose efficiency in cold weather?

Yes. The colder it gets outside, the harder a heat pump works to collect heat, and the less heat it delivers. On a typical Austin winter day, that’s no problem at all. Mild winters are exactly where heat pumps shine.

During a hard freeze, a standard heat pump’s output can fall below what the house needs. Many newer variable-speed and cold-climate heat pumps keep delivering useful heat at much lower temperatures than older models. They’re worth a look if you want more muscle during cold snaps.

What do heat strips do on a heat pump system?

Heat strips are the heat pump’s backup. Most Central Texas heat pumps have electric resistance strips in the indoor air handler, and your thermostat may show them as “Aux” heat. They have three jobs:

• Supplemental heat: When it’s very cold and the heat pump can’t keep up alone, the strips kick in to add heat.
• Defrost: In cold, damp weather, frost can build up on the outdoor coil. The heat pump runs a short defrost cycle now and then, and the strips keep the vents from blowing cold air while it does.
• Emergency heat: If the heat pump itself stops working, the thermostat’s “emergency heat” or “EM heat” setting runs the strips alone to keep the house warm until it’s repaired.

Heat strips are a good safety net, but they use far more electricity than the heat pump. If your strips run often on mild days, or your winter bill jumps without a cold snap to blame, the heat pump may need service or the thermostat may need a settings change. Both are jobs for a technician, and Gold Eagle’s heat pump team handles both.

How should you prepare for a Central Texas cold snap?

Make sure the backup heat works and the house holds heat well before the cold arrives. Central Texas winters are usually mild, but the occasional arctic blast, like the February 2021 winter storm, is a reminder that serious cold does happen here. During those events, heat pumps lean harder on their strips, demand on the grid climbs, and comfort comes down to how well the home and system are set up. Four steps help:

• Have a technician confirm the heat strips are sized right for your home and working.
• Have the heat pump serviced before winter so the defrost controls and backup heat work when they’re needed.
• Skip big thermostat setbacks during extreme cold. Climbing back from a deep setback can bring on the strips and use more energy than you saved.
• Improve attic insulation and air sealing so the house holds heat and the system works less. In Austin, current code calls for R-49 attic insulation.

Which costs more, a heat pump or resistance heat?

Resistance heat usually costs less to install, and a heat pump usually costs less to run. Real costs depend on your home, your equipment and your electric rates, but here’s how they usually compare:

• Operating costs: For the same amount of heat, a heat pump usually uses much less electricity than resistance heat, especially in mild weather. Over a Central Texas winter, that difference adds up.
• Upfront costs: Resistance heat (an electric furnace or heat strips) usually costs less to install. A heat pump costs more than an air conditioner alone, but if you’re already replacing your central AC, the added cost of choosing a heat pump instead is often modest compared with the whole project.
• Maintenance: Resistance heat has few moving parts and needs little upkeep. A heat pump works year-round for both heating and cooling, so regular maintenance matters.
• Year-round role: A heat pump is also your air conditioner, so one system covers both seasons.

When does each type of heat make sense?

A heat pump is usually the better main heat source when:

• You’re replacing a central air conditioner and electric furnace and want lower heating costs.
• Your home is all-electric and doesn’t have gas service.
• You want one efficient system for both heating and cooling.
• You’re heating an addition, garage conversion or bonus room with a mini-split.

Electric resistance heat can make sense when:

• It’s serving as backup heat strips for a heat pump.
• The space is small or used only now and then, like a bathroom or workshop.
• An existing electric furnace works fine and the air conditioner isn’t due for replacement yet. When the AC does come due, that’s a good moment to consider a heat pump.

What should you do next?

• Check which kind of heat you have: a heat pump with heat strips, an electric furnace or wall heaters.
• If you have a heat pump, watch for Aux or EM heat running often on mild days, a sign it needs service or a thermostat change.
• If you rely on resistance heat alone, plan to look at a heat pump when your AC is due for replacement.
• Book a pre-winter service with Gold Eagle, or call 512-489-4653, so the defrost controls and backup heat are ready for a cold snap.

If you’re thinking about moving from resistance heat to a heat pump, you can build your system online to compare heat pump options for your home and see an estimate before anyone visits. No pressure either way.

Related guides: Can a Heat Pump Keep Up With a Texas Freeze?, HVAC Rebates and Tax Credits in Central Texas (2026 Guide) and The Different Types of HVAC Systems Explained.

About Gold Eagle Services: This guide comes from the team at Gold Eagle Services, a family-run Austin HVAC, indoor air quality and mold remediation company founded in 2017. We’re licensed (TACLA119235 and RCO1783), insured and bonded, and we serve homes across the greater Austin area.

Need help with this in your home? Learn about our heat pump and furnace services, or call 512-489-4653 to schedule a visit.