Heat pump histopia ?

[Danke]

We’re probably living under a rock in the states, or at least I was?

Unless you’re powering it by “free” electricity like solar, for most people (at least in cold climates up north), it’s cheaper to heat with natural gas.

 

[Quattrohead]

We’re probably living under a rock in the states, or at least I was?

Common in Florida, been around for years here.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Followed two months later with "Hey hun, we need more solar PV".

I just said that to my wife yesterday and im pretty sure she rolled her eyes so hard she saw her brain.

 

[timselectric]

I felt a cold chill, yesterday. And had a feeling that a woman was rolling her eyes at a man, somewhere.

 

[Skypower]

Common in Florida, been around for years here.

I didn’t think rocks were common in Florida mostly sand isn’t it? ? kidding

 

[agarg]

Unless you’re powering it by “free” electricity like solar, for most people (at least in cold climates up north), it’s cheaper to heat with natural gas.

I have installed a heat pump and the Gas heating is still cheaper. However, with Solar free electricity, it become very attractive by making heating free.

Side by side comparison:

Heat Pump heating​	​	​	​	Furnace Heating​	​
​	​	​	​	​	​
Area (Cubic ft)​	17,000.0​	​	​	​	​
Ambient temperature​	55 Degree F​	​	​	​	​
​	​	​	​	​	​
Capacity (BTU)​	48,000.0​	​	​	Capacity (BTU)​	96,000.0​
Average COP​	3.8​	​	​	Efficiency​	85.00%​
Electric KW cost (Jan 2023)​	$0.55​	​	​	Blended Gas cost Therms (Jan 2023)​	$2.55​
BTU/KW​	3,412.4​	​	​	BTU/Therm​	99,976.0​
Effective BTU Heat per dollar​	23,266.4​	​	​	Effective BTU Heat per dollar​	33,325.3​

 

[Lt.Dan]

Heating with gas has always been super cheap for me and my area. Until last year, I don't remember why, but everyone's gas bill was minimum $300/mo, and I heard many people had $6-700 bills!

If that's the case, electric heating is coming in!

 

[daklein]

I removed a nat gas boiler last winter, replaced with electric water heater as buffer tank, resistance heating only. Main heat when we're home is woodstove, so we only were spending $3-400 annually for gas. But last winter we replaced that heating load with grid banked electric which was all free. This year I set up an ASHP for A/C and heat to the air handler, and just now getting a refrigerant to water coil connected to the hydronic system. So this winter we should get on the order of 2-3x the heat for the same banked electricity, and need to burn some less wood. Free heat is great. But it's still probably not enough total heat. More solar in the future!!! There's more room on the roof, and I could improve the location of a ground mount and add tracking to it.

All that said, the cost for the heatpump system is not going to pay back with only $3-400 annual savings. I don't care, we'll get the 30% ftc for the heatpump, and DIYing it was pretty reasonable, around $7k, it will come out just about where the credit maxes out.