Dual-Fuel (Hybrid) System
A heat pump paired with a gas furnace. The heat pump handles most of the season efficiently; the furnace takes over on the coldest days. A smart control decides the switchover point automatically.
The longer answer
Dual-fuel is the pragmatic answer when a good gas furnace is too young to scrap but electrification is the direction. The heat pump carries heating from roughly 35–40°F upward (the balance point varies by equipment and home); below that, the furnace fires. Most Seattle heating hours land above the switchover — so gas consumption drops sharply without losing cold-snap security.
The control logic matters: a properly configured dual-fuel thermostat minimizes unnecessary furnace run time and prevents the heat pump and furnace from fighting each other. Misconfigured systems run the furnace when the heat pump could handle it — defeating the purpose of the hybrid.
The Seattle angle
PSE offers a hybrid heat pump rebate for pairing a heat pump with your existing gas furnace — see the rebate stack on our heat pump cost guide.
Guides that use this term
Where this decision happens
Nearby in the glossary
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