Heat Pump Savings?

Posted by dpb on October 18, 2009, 9:40 am

trader4@optonline.net wrote:
...

> Agree with the above. I also don't see why the extra cost of a
> ground source heat pump compared to air would be worth it in Tenn. ...

Having had one of each (while in TN), while strictly speaking the
break-even period would probably have been longer than we stayed in the
house ourselves[1], given the need/choice I'd have made the investment
again.

The difference in comfort w/ the higher-grade heat of the ground-loop
plus the elimination of the noise from the A/C outside exchanger were
intangible benefits well worth the additional installation cost in the
long run. And, if go ahead w/ the rejection-heat option, hot water is
available at essentially no additional operating cost during
A/C-operation season.

imo, $0.02, ymmv, etc., etc., ...

[1] I didn't make the initial decision on that basis; the old
air-exchange unit was failing and gas wasn't available in the
subdivision and I didn't want the LP tank (plus was quite high in the
area altho it was the nuisance/eyesore factor that was deciding; I just
didn't want either so really never considered it seriously). There was
as noted above a very noticeable reduction in our electric usage as
compared to before but I never did really worry about whether it was
enough to actually come out ahead; it was a fixed up-front cost that
didn't really factor into the decision.

--

Posted by Art Todesco on October 18, 2009, 2:27 pm

dpb wrote:

> trader4@optonline.net wrote:
> ...

>> Agree with the above. I also don't see why the extra cost of a
>> ground source heat pump compared to air would be worth it in Tenn. ...

>
> Having had one of each (while in TN), while strictly speaking the
> break-even period would probably have been longer than we stayed in the
> house ourselves[1], given the need/choice I'd have made the investment
> again.
>
> The difference in comfort w/ the higher-grade heat of the ground-loop
> plus the elimination of the noise from the A/C outside exchanger were
> intangible benefits well worth the additional installation cost in the
> long run. And, if go ahead w/ the rejection-heat option, hot water is
> available at essentially no additional operating cost during
> A/C-operation season.
>
> imo, $0.02, ymmv, etc., etc., ...
>
> [1] I didn't make the initial decision on that basis; the old
> air-exchange unit was failing and gas wasn't available in the
> subdivision and I didn't want the LP tank (plus was quite high in the
> area altho it was the nuisance/eyesore factor that was deciding; I just
> didn't want either so really never considered it seriously). There was
> as noted above a very noticeable reduction in our electric usage as
> compared to before but I never did really worry about whether it was
> enough to actually come out ahead; it was a fixed up-front cost that
> didn't really factor into the decision.
>
> --

Also, here in western NC I see ads on TV
that say you can get somewhere
around 65% of the total cost of a
geothermal system back from energy
tax credits. I can't get anything on my
air-type heat pump, even though
it is a high efficiency unit. I am able
to get a credit from the power company,
Duke, for about $200 and $100 for the
HVAC guy.

Posted by Ashton Crusher on October 18, 2009, 7:24 pm

wrote:

>I have electric hot air heat and I am wondering how much I can expect
>save with a heat pump? Eastern TN, almost in the Smokies and the North
>Carolina border. Elevation about 1650'. It's around 15 degrees warmer
>on the west side of the smokies where I am than compared to the NC side.
>I've managed to keep the electric bill below $115 most of the winters
>when I turn down the central heat to 55-60 and use a small portable
>electric heater in the room I am using. I would like to heat the whole
>house to 68F. using a heat pump. I figure the heating portion of the
>electric bill is about $75-$90. How much would that be with a heat
>pump? If my rough figures are anywhere near accurate, it looks like I
>won't break even for 15 to 20 years and that is without heating the
>whole house to 68F.

Not sure how your winters compare with ours but I'm in AZ and had a
heat pump. It was a three ton unit and in our mild winters it
struggled to warm the place up and took forever to do it. I replaced
the whole thing with a straight AC unit and retrofitted electric
resistance strips into the air handlers. I have seen essentially no
change in my winter bills and the house warms up much faster. In
houses in the past I've had with heat pumps I've never been very
impressed with their performance. In some weather conditions they
spend as much time in reverse cycle melting ice that they never warm
up the house.

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Heat Pump Savings? - Page 2