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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,213
Registered: ‎03-30-2014

Re: Does anyone have a heat pump???

If what you are wanting a blast of hot air from a high efficiency furnace then you need to adjust your thinking.  They are different.  

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,109
Registered: ‎04-14-2013

Re: Does anyone have a heat pump???

[ Edited ]

Exactly, @Still Raining.  Summed it up perfectly.  A blast of heat and immediate dissipation is old technology.

Cogito ergo sum
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,172
Registered: ‎11-15-2011

Re: Does anyone have a heat pump???

One secret to using a heat pump is to turn it on before the house, and everything in it, gets really cold.   

 

Mine has an extra heat strip that kicks in when it is extremely cold.  Never had a cold house

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,612
Registered: ‎10-25-2010

Re: Does anyone have a heat pump???

[ Edited ]

We put in a heat pump when we built our home 30 years ago.  It works fine and we loved it.

 

Our youngest son who is a HVAC Tech, suggested we get a newer more modern one a few years ago, so we did.

 

We love our new one too.  We live in PA and the winters get cold...really freezing here.  Our house is always warm and we have no cold spots. You need to remember NOT to turn the heat way down during the daytime when you are not there or during the night time in very cold weather before you go to bed. If you do, the electric back-up will have to kick in to get your house warm again which is not efficient and runs up your electric bill.

 

The AC is great and runs all summer long for only pennies a day.  We have an all electric house and would never go back to gas or oil.  We paid more over 30 years ago to heat our former home with gas, plus we had an electric bill too.

 

If your heat pump is not keeping your house warm, it might need fixing or replaced.  Something is not right. You should not be hearing popping noises.

 

Added: my heat pump does not blow cold air when the heat is turned on the wintertime...ever.   Our's is a Trane, which is supposed to be top of the line.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,305
Registered: ‎06-08-2016

Re: Does anyone have a heat pump???

There is a natural gas line coming in directly to my home through a meter, much like you would get water or electricity.    Except it's gas.   My house is located on a gas line.

 

The heaters can accommodate either propane or natural gas but the nozzles are different.   You have to buy the right heater or have the nozzle changed.

 

My heat pump & water heater are natural gas

 

 


@SilleeMee wrote:

@software wrote:

Heat pumps are very popular in the south.

If you are in a cold climate, you may need an alternative.

 

I use an infrared natural gas heater sometimes.

It's not as attractive as it could be but it's very cheap & efficient.

The heat is cozy like a wood burning fireplace but cleaner

Plus I need an alternative heat source in case of a power outage.

Those forced air options are just not comfortable.

 

infrared heater.jpg


 

 

@software,

This a new one for me. I never knew anything like this existed until now. I checked on-line to see how it operates but I'm confused about the type of gas it uses. Descriptions say it can use either propane or natural gas. Do you use natural gas in this thing and where do you buy natural gas?


 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,486
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Does anyone have a heat pump???

Had one a long time in Oklahoma.  NEVER again.  We were cold all time and the thing ran all the time.  We are lucky to have natural gas here to heat.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,193
Registered: ‎07-21-2014

Re: Does anyone have a heat pump???

Understandable that they do not work like a furnace but when there is cold air for 10 minutes and then warm air for 2 minutes then back to cold air, it is hard for the place to stay warm!  Smiley Sad

Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. —Helen Keller
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,827
Registered: ‎11-20-2010

Re: Does anyone have a heat pump???

We have a heat pump in our new building at work.  It is awful as far as I'm concerned and it is of the newer type.  It is never warm in our office and I use an electric heater in my office to keep warm as do several others.

 

I am always happy to get home to my warm, comfortable house with gas heat.  I know many people with gas heat keep their thermostats low (68 degrees) to save money, but mine is on 72 year round - air in summer and heat in winter.  Not easy on the gas and electric bills, but I feel we deserve to be comfortable.  No point in saving money and being too cold in winter and too hot in summer.

 

Several homes I visit have heat pumps and I am always cold there - no heat pump for me.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,283
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Does anyone have a heat pump???

When we replaced our air conditioner, mu husband - a retired HVAC contractor - decided he wanted the new one to include the heat pump feature as a "just in case" back up.

 

We used it a few times because it wasn't really cold enough to turn the furnace on, just wanted to take the chill out. 

 

We paid extra for it and imo it was a waste of money because it really didn't do much as far as warming the house up.  If I had to rely on it as our only source of heat I would be looking for other alternatives.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,179
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Does anyone have a heat pump???

I don't know anyone who uses this. They either have a gas/electric heater or  use a portable electric heater.