Heat pumps

[techman]

Yep, dual fuel heat pump with a lockout is a completely different animal than an air handler with electric strips. Can you change over a dual fuel system with propane backup to an all electric with heat strips easily? Or is it a completely different inside unit?

All air handlers will take "heat kits" to add electric heat. Your biggest problem will be adding the wiring and circuit for power if the air handler is in an inconvenient location.

paul

 

[techman]

I wonder how many folk believe the HP is warming the house in below freezing temps and are unaware the
Resistance heating is adding another 10-20F to the plenium temperature ?

Unless it is bitterly cold, the resistance only operates intermittently. Again don't believe that heat pumps do not work efficiently below freezing.

paul

 

[kcflhrc]

All air handlers will take "heat kits" to add electric heat. Your biggest problem will be adding the wiring and circuit for power if the air handler is in an inconvenient location.

paul

Adding the breaker and wiring is the easy part for me. Panel is within 25 feet of the air handler.

 

[davesl708]

I started this thread partly due to the fact that my power company routinely sends letters saying that I am using a gazillion% more electricity than other houses in my area. My house is roughly 1600 sq ft and last month I used 3900kwh. I don't know if that is excessive for an all electric house??? The house ,built in 1953, could probably use some additional insulation and we have landscape/security lighting that is on a lot.

You can have the most efficient HVAC available. If you cannot keep the heat in or out your system is going to work overtime sucking up KW's.
Insulate to the max first then install new HVAC.

My latest home had heat pump and gas backup. After pricing the latest greatest high efficiency I found the ground loop Geo thermal was much more economical to operate. My total electric home went from $160.00 in summer and $326.00 in winter to $66.00 in summer and $140.00 in winter.
After taking the tax credit the geo thermal was the same price as the high end gas/elect. units. No outside unit sucking up $$ or making noise. That is two less electric motors operating.

Insulate and weather proof saves the most money.

My last bill showed 1263kw used. 1500 sq ft. with 500 gal hot tub. Avg temp was 18f.
My total utility cost for 12/2013 to 12/2014 was $1.152.03.

 

[dodge man]

Back to the OP's numbers. If he using 3900kwh a month, in my area a KWH is about $0.12, that would be about $468. Is the price of electricity less where you live? I'm not sure of my exact numbers but I think we are using about half that much electricity a month with a 1900 sf house with a new geothermal system.

 

[kcflhrc]

All air handlers will take "heat kits" to add electric heat. Your biggest problem will be adding the wiring and circuit for power if the air handler is in an inconvenient location.

paul

I was just told by our HVAC guy that we cant do this.

 

[techman]

I was just told by our HVAC guy that we cant do this.

I would ask "WHY" ?

 

[kcflhrc]

I would ask "WHY" ?

I asked, turns out I don't have an air handler. I have a furnace with a heat pump. I'm so confused.

 

[techman]

I asked, turns out I don't have an air handler. I have a furnace with a heat pump. I'm so confused.

You have a coil that is mounted at the air outlet of the furnace. In that case they use the blower from the furnace, and as you stated you do not have an air handler. Also with this setup the heat pump and the furnace can NOT run at the same time. Hot furnace air blown across the heat pump coil, with the heat pump running, would result in very high, and potentially destructive pressure in the heat pump refrigerant.

paul

 

[kenmac]

I wonder how many folk believe the HP is warming the house in below freezing temps and are unaware the
Resistance heating is adding another 10-20F to the plenium temperature ?

The back up better be on or you'll freeze to death.. At 0* ambient, you aren't going to get much heat from the HP alone. On top of that, it's going to go into defrost mode a lot more