- cross-posted to:
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- cross-posted to:
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There is a discussion on Hacker News, but feel free to comment here as well.
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Think most people know this is the case. We use heat on pumps. It’s not particularly cold but -1.
I have a heat pump and a gas furnace. The furnace is only used if the heat pump isn’t able to heat and that’s typically around -25c. This keeps me off gas most of the winter.
Science proves otherwise…in cold enough temps the heat pump is literally useless and you will need a backup source like electric dor gas/bio fuel.
Sitting up here in the Alps, winter approaching, laughing at your two-decades-out-of-date ignorance 😂
I agree that thinking is outdated, however…
The last time this topic came up, people with heat pumps said they needed to supplement their heating when having multiple days of -15F, some even said below +15F. Maybe newer heat pumps can work well enough down to these temps but the ones most people have already in their homes do not and require additional heating. There are many other factors to consider as well when determining cost-effectiveness, especially in houses with existing duct work, it’s not as simple as one just being more efficient than the other. And anyone that gets caught up by that may be served well to apply a bit more critical thinking because heat pumps are not always the best solution.
Saving power for even a few extra months still saves money. You can have both a heat pump and a normal gas furnace. They aren’t even that expensive. If you have a high heating bill, it could pay itself off in a few years.
Sure… but there are a lot of variables to consider because heat pumps are not the most cost-effective solution for every situation. Too many people seem to think it is cut and dry and heat pumps are the best solution, but again, not always.
I live in NC where a very cold day is +20F and I have to say I do not feel my heat pump keeps my house very warm. Maybe l just have a very high expectation of what a warm house feels like, but based purely on comfort I would not pick a heat pump. My house is only about 7 years old, so maybe the technology has improved since then?
I will say, it is unseasonably cold the last few days (40’s) and my house is comfortably warm. But I cannot imagine going days sub freezing and the heat pump keeping up. But I am a spoiled American.
Is your house insulated? Do you have modern windows?
Yes to both.
Are you saying it struggles to meet the temp set on the thermostat, or that you/your spouse sets the thermostat too low?
I am saying the heat pump struggles to keep up with the temp on the thermostat. It runs constantly and cannot maintain the ~70 we have the thermostat set too.
Nothing to do with the heat pump, everything to do with building standards over to last couple of decades
it’s just physics, and at sub-zero temperatures the air heat pump simply switches to electricity it’s another matter if your pump uses the ground or a well, then of course it will work at any outside temperature
I Should have been more specific about air source…but yes
Physics isn’t wrong. Ground source is better, but air source won’t keep up with multiple days of sub temps
