the_other_b t1_iv8foht wrote
neat, getting a quote for one at the end of the month. question for folks with one, are you running one with a backup furnace? our furnace is like 30 years old, so ideally we'll just be 100% heat pump.
halfnelson t1_iv8k4i4 wrote
Congrats! 100% heat pump is the way to go! Modern ones don’t need supplemental gas heat, they’re rated and effective to very low temps. Also, ac in the summer is pretty sweet!
the_other_b t1_iv8lbcr wrote
thank you so much! im very excited! we just bought the house and the furnace vent runs vertically through our closet, and is so inefficient if we vented out the side of the house we'd get CO2 buildups lol.. the heat pump just solves so many of our problems (and will feel so blessed to have AC next summer)
momopeach7 t1_iv9fbhr wrote
Could you use them to cool the house during hotter months then along with warming during cooler ones?
Dr_Adequate t1_iva8yu6 wrote
Yes. Heat pumps are bidirectional. They work as AC in warmer months.
Prototype_es t1_iv8zfbm wrote
Home inspector here that also has a heat pump. You should consider some form of supplemental heat in the home, worst case scenario it rarely gets used. However it has to be pretty cold for a heat pump to get ineffective. Think under 20 degrees for an extended period of time. Theyre massively more efficient than an electric furnace or cadet heaters however and youre going to save quite a bit on energy bills comparatively. If you already have a furnace in the home that functions, you dont need to get rid of it, the HVAC tech will set up the thermostat to have the furnace only kick on if the heat pump cant keep up. If youre concerned about the environmental implications, electric furnaces exist as well but theyre very expensive to run as a daily unit and youre much better off using your heat pump day to day
bdevel t1_ivam6lt wrote
Modern heat pumps work to -30F degrees. They are plenty efficient at +20F. Especially in Washington, it's very unlikely you'll need supplemental heat.
the_other_b t1_iv9gw6k wrote
got it, we have a pellet fireplace as well of the furnace ever turns out to be a problem.. just wasn't sure if that fallback functionality required a newer furnace.
Splenda t1_ivar9vh wrote
That depends entirely on where you live and which heat pump you choose. The latest high-HSPF models rarely resort to backup even in USDA zone 4. Still, I think we'll see many owners of existing homes there replacing older central AC units with heat pumps while keeping gas for security, much as many Canadians do. This will change over time as cold weather heat pumps keep improving.
aseaflight t1_iv8ox6c wrote
When remodeling we ripped our furnace out entirely. Just have a ductless mini split now.
The space savings was great for us too. We were.able to reconfigure and get a whole new little office room.
ChemistDude t1_iv8p3ux wrote
Ours has emergency radiant heat available, but I’ve only ever had it come on a handful of times. It’s a pretty efficient way of heating.
BarnabyWoods OP t1_iv8vnvh wrote
We have no backup furnace for ours, but we do have a propane fireplace that we sometimes use to take the chill off quickly.
Haz_de_nar t1_iv8p7yr wrote
decadently worth checking into based on where you are but they for sure have heat pumps that you dont need a backup. Inverter heat pumps would be the way to go.
zeroappeal t1_iv8p5h5 wrote
Ours was at least that old and we had to get a new one. The old one wasn't compatible. 100% worth it.
Skeetronic t1_iv95jbh wrote
Heat pump 100%.
thedeepdark t1_ivalgqa wrote
I have heat pump with no furnace and it’s been fine! It doesn’t get toasty warm but you won’t be cold (have had it for about 4 years) I did end up converting an old fireplace to a gas insert for those days when I just want to super warm and cozy. I’m in the Seattle area.
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