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QUESTION:if I am going to have a gas furnace as backup, and since the
"high" heat only occurs a few weeks a year, what is the advantage then of
putting in a heat pump at all? Did you say that your temperatures occasionally get to -30F, or 30F?
"sub-30" is ambiguous.
ANSWER: I just looked at this reply closer, what I meant was ~30 (tilde 30)
meaning "about" 30, not minus. No way am I living in a place with -(minus)
30 :-). One of the joys of computers and screen fonts is that some
characters look a bit "iffy" at times, and I had forgotten about that one.
Sorry, folks, for the confusion, my bad.
So, to be sure I understand the technology, the heat pump delivers heating
generally for less cost than even a high efficiency gas furnace, as long as
the temperature is most often above a "floor" which is in the low to mid
30's F above zero. The added bonus is that at the same time cooling is
delivered. The downside is that if the temperatures are often below that
floor, then supplemental heat generation is required. Which method used,
electric/propane/natural gas, can depend upon what sources are available in
a given area and at what price. Have I got this right so far?
The alternative to get both the heating and cooling is to add an AC unit to
an existing furnace. In this case, the cost of fuel on an ongoing basis is
higher than a HP, given that temperatures are generally above the "floor",
but the initial costs may be less. The decision to add AC or an HP could
then be looked at as a simple cost trade-off, as the end result for
heating/cooling would be the same, correct?
And in all cases it is imperative to get the proper sizing information from
a pro in the area and to ensure that the ducting which is place can manage
these types of systems. How am I doing so far?
One thing I have forgotten to ask is about ongoing maintenance. We
generally spend about $125 a year to have a heating company do a yearly
inspection and "tune-up" on our furnace. Are the costs of maintaining an HP
or AC unit comparable, or should I plan for other "normal" maintenance
items? And slightly OT, what about this "duct cleaning" service that is
being offered?
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