Ok does my thermostat have a back up gun?

[Trekbike]

But a heat pump is basically the cooling part of an AC run in reverse. So it's almost a freebie and I believe it runs cheaper than gas in certain circumstances.

My previous house had a heat pump and to me it always felt "drafty" when the heat was on. This was back in the late 80 ' s and it was a brand new unit so I'm assuming it was functioning ok. It kept the house at the setpoint but never felt "warm" to me.

I've had gas heat and water heater for about 23 years now and it would be hard for me to go back to electric. YMMV.

[A.J. Holst]

My backup emergency auxiliary heat is propane. Warm and toasty and 4.79/gal.

Please stay 34+ degrees

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

Then the "aux" mode is running the heating elements to help the heat pump. The "emergency" mode is only the heating elements. The unit consumes a lot of electricity in either mode.

Tennessee is about as far north as you'll see heat pumps. The latest and greatest heat pumps can run relatively efficiently down to about 30 deg, while a older unit might only work to 40 deg. Below that they just don't work real well, particularly if the house isn't exceptionally well insulated.

Actually it doesnt. we had some really low days here last year.. the "aux" kicked in.. and our heating bill is never over 180 or so...and thats high.. the bill runs between 10 and 150 every month  in summer or winter.We also have R19 in the walls and R30 in the ceiling..Gordon loves it war m in the house so the heat is running all the time.. 

[K191145]

But a heat pump is basically the cooling part of an AC run in reverse. So it's almost a freebie and I believe it runs cheaper than gas in certain circumstances.

 

Definatly no freebies there, consider a 3 ton heat pump running without electric heat elements energized, it will be using about the same wattage as if it were in the cooling mode but, you will still have 3 electric motors running, a blower motor abour 2 amps, a condensor(outdoor) motor about 2 amps and the compressor motor around 5 amps. Just say around 10 amps without electric heat elements energized. Them when the tempature drops in the 40s and the heat pump doesn't satisfy the t-stat the elements will energize in the auxillary heat mode. Most elements will pull around 15 amps each and depending on what KW kit was installed on the heat pump you can add 30, 40 to 60 amps. On a cold day and night a running heat pump can be pulling up to 60 to 70 amps and of course it's more as the unit gets bigger. We always kept a decent length of 4 guage and 2 oo wire on the truck for heat pump installations, that's big heavy wire but it's needed.

Now on a straight gas pack in the heat mode you have the blower motor about 2 amps and the 24volt gas controls, circuit board and valve which isn't worth measuring, somewhere in the milliamps. about 2 to 3 amps + gas and that's all at any time no matter how cold it is. As long as gas is the cost as it is now i'll stay with a gas pack and as some have said it's warmer comming out the vents, if your heat pump air feels "warm and toasty" comming out the vents then those watt junkie heat elements are energized also.

Edited November 22, 2014 by K191145

[swim615]

You'll blow your house up with gas!!!

 

I've seen it way to many times on the news. We use a wood stove to off set the bill in the winter and it keep me healthy cutting, splitting, and bringing it in.

[tnguy]

My previous house had a heat pump and to me it always felt "drafty" when the heat was on. This was back in the late 80 ' s and it was a brand new unit so I'm assuming it was functioning ok. It kept the house at the setpoint but never felt "warm" to me.

I've had gas heat and water heater for about 23 years now and it would be hard for me to go back to electric. YMMV.

 

That's why I'm thinking dual fuel. Gas when gas is most efficient, electric when electric is most efficient.

Edited November 22, 2014 by tnguy

[enfield]

My previous house had a heat pump and to me it always felt "drafty" when the heat was on. This was back in the late 80 ' s and it was a brand new unit so I'm assuming it was functioning ok. It kept the house at the setpoint but never felt "warm" to me.

I've had gas heat and water heater for about 23 years now and it would be hard for me to go back to electric. YMMV.

 

That's the thing I dislike most about heat pumps.  I'm not comfortable having 70 degree air blowing on me when I'm trying to heat the house.  A gas furnace blows much hotter air and is more comfortable to me.  That's why I love standing in front of my gas logs!

[none]

Actually it doesnt. we had some really low days here last year.. the "aux" kicked in.. and our heating bill is never over 180 or so...and thats high.. the bill runs between 10 and 150 every month  in summer or winter.We also have R19 in the walls and R30 in the ceiling..Gordon loves it war m in the house so the heat is running all the time..

$180 a month I would have had a heart attack! Even in Indiana we did not spend that. Usually about $350 for the year. But I am finding that. Grain mills are non existent around here. Pellets are a bit more but still reasonable.

Happy to have our multifuel stove up and running.

[joustin]

We run on emergency heat all the time. It's gad so it's cheaper and warmer than electric

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