Does your heat pump heat your home in our climate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US Department of Energy along with the state governments of Massachusetts and New York just completed a major study of residential heat pump installations. The study is at:
https://e4thefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Residential-ccASHP-Building-Electrification_060322.pdf

The report is 156 pages, you don't have to read the whole thing, but on page 12 they have summaries of surveys of customers who replaced a different heating system with an air-source heat pump (ASHP):

• Performance issues were uncommon with ASHPs and nearly all customers reported lower bills.
• Customers were highly satisfied with heating and cooling performance (8.5/10 for heating and 9.0/10 for cooling).
• These factors lead to an extremely high likelihood to recommend an ASHP to others (whole-home = 8.9/10 would recommend; primary w/ backup = 9.3/10)

Note that both states are quite a bit colder than DC.

Some people still want gas heat and that is ok. It is different kind of heat that feels nicer. Environmentalist want to tell us what to do then just "we ask you to like what we want you to do change your mindset it is so easy" but that is not how it works.

In an old drafty house you will get cold spots and the hotter air of a gas furnace helps to make up for that. I have a new house that is well-insulated and there are no cold spots, I have heat pumps and I barely notice them at all.

+1 this
It's not that gas heat "feels nicer" it's that it works better to warm a leaky house more evenly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US Department of Energy along with the state governments of Massachusetts and New York just completed a major study of residential heat pump installations. The study is at:
https://e4thefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Residential-ccASHP-Building-Electrification_060322.pdf

The report is 156 pages, you don't have to read the whole thing, but on page 12 they have summaries of surveys of customers who replaced a different heating system with an air-source heat pump (ASHP):

• Performance issues were uncommon with ASHPs and nearly all customers reported lower bills.
• Customers were highly satisfied with heating and cooling performance (8.5/10 for heating and 9.0/10 for cooling).
• These factors lead to an extremely high likelihood to recommend an ASHP to others (whole-home = 8.9/10 would recommend; primary w/ backup = 9.3/10)

Note that both states are quite a bit colder than DC.

Some people still want gas heat and that is ok. It is different kind of heat that feels nicer. Environmentalist want to tell us what to do then just "we ask you to like what we want you to do change your mindset it is so easy" but that is not how it works.

In an old drafty house you will get cold spots and the hotter air of a gas furnace helps to make up for that. I have a new house that is well-insulated and there are no cold spots, I have heat pumps and I barely notice them at all.

+1 this
It's not that gas heat "feels nicer" it's that it works better to warm a leaky house more evenly.

I said what I said. Gas heat feels nicer. Heat pumps move air around a room to make the temp go up. Gas warm the air in a different way. If all you can offer is a suggestion to make an attitude adjustment in order to align with your preference or agenda, i am not interested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US Department of Energy along with the state governments of Massachusetts and New York just completed a major study of residential heat pump installations. The study is at:
https://e4thefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Residential-ccASHP-Building-Electrification_060322.pdf

The report is 156 pages, you don't have to read the whole thing, but on page 12 they have summaries of surveys of customers who replaced a different heating system with an air-source heat pump (ASHP):

• Performance issues were uncommon with ASHPs and nearly all customers reported lower bills.
• Customers were highly satisfied with heating and cooling performance (8.5/10 for heating and 9.0/10 for cooling).
• These factors lead to an extremely high likelihood to recommend an ASHP to others (whole-home = 8.9/10 would recommend; primary w/ backup = 9.3/10)

Note that both states are quite a bit colder than DC.

Some people still want gas heat and that is ok. It is different kind of heat that feels nicer. Environmentalist want to tell us what to do then just "we ask you to like what we want you to do change your mindset it is so easy" but that is not how it works.

In an old drafty house you will get cold spots and the hotter air of a gas furnace helps to make up for that. I have a new house that is well-insulated and there are no cold spots, I have heat pumps and I barely notice them at all.

+1 this
It's not that gas heat "feels nicer" it's that it works better to warm a leaky house more evenly.

I said what I said. Gas heat feels nicer. Heat pumps move air around a room to make the temp go up. Gas warm the air in a different way. If all you can offer is a suggestion to make an attitude adjustment in order to align with your preference or agenda, i am not interested.

Are you confusing gas heat with radiator heat? You can have forced air heat with gas, it works exactly the same as an air-to-air heat pump. Gas will heat the air hotter so the air coming out of the radiator is hotter. You can also run radiators with an air-to-water heat pump, it heats exactly the same as a gas boiler, just not as hot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US Department of Energy along with the state governments of Massachusetts and New York just completed a major study of residential heat pump installations. The study is at:
https://e4thefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Residential-ccASHP-Building-Electrification_060322.pdf

The report is 156 pages, you don't have to read the whole thing, but on page 12 they have summaries of surveys of customers who replaced a different heating system with an air-source heat pump (ASHP):

• Performance issues were uncommon with ASHPs and nearly all customers reported lower bills.
• Customers were highly satisfied with heating and cooling performance (8.5/10 for heating and 9.0/10 for cooling).
• These factors lead to an extremely high likelihood to recommend an ASHP to others (whole-home = 8.9/10 would recommend; primary w/ backup = 9.3/10)

Note that both states are quite a bit colder than DC.

Some people still want gas heat and that is ok. It is different kind of heat that feels nicer. Environmentalist want to tell us what to do then just "we ask you to like what we want you to do change your mindset it is so easy" but that is not how it works.

In an old drafty house you will get cold spots and the hotter air of a gas furnace helps to make up for that. I have a new house that is well-insulated and there are no cold spots, I have heat pumps and I barely notice them at all.

+1 this
It's not that gas heat "feels nicer" it's that it works better to warm a leaky house more evenly.

I said what I said. Gas heat feels nicer. Heat pumps move air around a room to make the temp go up. Gas warm the air in a different way. If all you can offer is a suggestion to make an attitude adjustment in order to align with your preference or agenda, i am not interested.

Are you confusing gas heat with radiator heat? You can have forced air heat with gas, it works exactly the same as an air-to-air heat pump. Gas will heat the air hotter so the air coming out of the radiator is hotter. You can also run radiators with an air-to-water heat pump, it heats exactly the same as a gas boiler, just not as hot.

No I am not confused.

[Anonymous]

Heat pumps work fine. They do not provide the gust of hot air that people associate with furnaces, but they do heat the house. Zoned systems work better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US Department of Energy along with the state governments of Massachusetts and New York just completed a major study of residential heat pump installations. The study is at:
https://e4thefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Residential-ccASHP-Building-Electrification_060322.pdf

The report is 156 pages, you don't have to read the whole thing, but on page 12 they have summaries of surveys of customers who replaced a different heating system with an air-source heat pump (ASHP):

• Performance issues were uncommon with ASHPs and nearly all customers reported lower bills.
• Customers were highly satisfied with heating and cooling performance (8.5/10 for heating and 9.0/10 for cooling).
• These factors lead to an extremely high likelihood to recommend an ASHP to others (whole-home = 8.9/10 would recommend; primary w/ backup = 9.3/10)

Note that both states are quite a bit colder than DC.

Some people still want gas heat and that is ok. It is different kind of heat that feels nicer. Environmentalist want to tell us what to do then just "we ask you to like what we want you to do change your mindset it is so easy" but that is not how it works.

In an old drafty house you will get cold spots and the hotter air of a gas furnace helps to make up for that. I have a new house that is well-insulated and there are no cold spots, I have heat pumps and I barely notice them at all.

+1 this
It's not that gas heat "feels nicer" it's that it works better to warm a leaky house more evenly.

I said what I said. Gas heat feels nicer. Heat pumps move air around a room to make the temp go up. Gas warm the air in a different way. If all you can offer is a suggestion to make an attitude adjustment in order to align with your preference or agenda, i am not interested.

Are you confusing gas heat with radiator heat? You can have forced air heat with gas, it works exactly the same as an air-to-air heat pump. Gas will heat the air hotter so the air coming out of the radiator is hotter. You can also run radiators with an air-to-water heat pump, it heats exactly the same as a gas boiler, just not as hot.

No I am not confused.

Because the statement "Heat pumps move air around a room to make the temp go up. Gas warm the air in a different way. " is non-sensical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US Department of Energy along with the state governments of Massachusetts and New York just completed a major study of residential heat pump installations. The study is at:
https://e4thefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Residential-ccASHP-Building-Electrification_060322.pdf

The report is 156 pages, you don't have to read the whole thing, but on page 12 they have summaries of surveys of customers who replaced a different heating system with an air-source heat pump (ASHP):

• Performance issues were uncommon with ASHPs and nearly all customers reported lower bills.
• Customers were highly satisfied with heating and cooling performance (8.5/10 for heating and 9.0/10 for cooling).
• These factors lead to an extremely high likelihood to recommend an ASHP to others (whole-home = 8.9/10 would recommend; primary w/ backup = 9.3/10)

Note that both states are quite a bit colder than DC.

Some people still want gas heat and that is ok. It is different kind of heat that feels nicer. Environmentalist want to tell us what to do then just "we ask you to like what we want you to do change your mindset it is so easy" but that is not how it works.

In an old drafty house you will get cold spots and the hotter air of a gas furnace helps to make up for that. I have a new house that is well-insulated and there are no cold spots, I have heat pumps and I barely notice them at all.

+1 this
It's not that gas heat "feels nicer" it's that it works better to warm a leaky house more evenly.

I said what I said. Gas heat feels nicer. Heat pumps move air around a room to make the temp go up. Gas warm the air in a different way. If all you can offer is a suggestion to make an attitude adjustment in order to align with your preference or agenda, i am not interested.

Are you confusing gas heat with radiator heat? You can have forced air heat with gas, it works exactly the same as an air-to-air heat pump. Gas will heat the air hotter so the air coming out of the radiator is hotter. You can also run radiators with an air-to-water heat pump, it heats exactly the same as a gas boiler, just not as hot.

No I am not confused.

Because the statement "Heat pumps move air around a room to make the temp go up. Gas warm the air in a different way. " is non-sensical.

It is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Heat pumps work fine. They do not provide the gust of hot air that people associate with furnaces, but they do heat the house. Zoned systems work better.

I like the gusts of hot air. So heat pumps do not work fine for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Heat pumps work fine. They do not provide the gust of hot air that people associate with furnaces, but they do heat the house. Zoned systems work better.

I like the gusts of hot air. So heat pumps do not work fine for me.

+1

I’ve had gas heat most of my life in the DC area. Heat pumps don’t feel warm enough when it gets pretty cold in January and February. I prefer gas and the gust of hot air too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Heat pumps work fine. They do not provide the gust of hot air that people associate with furnaces, but they do heat the house. Zoned systems work better.

Newer heat pumps do produce warmer air. The older systems worked, but the air from the registers felt lukewarm. That has created a negative perception.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Heat pumps work fine. They do not provide the gust of hot air that people associate with furnaces, but they do heat the house. Zoned systems work better.

I like the gusts of hot air. So heat pumps do not work fine for me.

+1

I’ve had gas heat most of my life in the DC area. Heat pumps don’t feel warm enough when it gets pretty cold in January and February. I prefer gas and the gust of hot air too.

In our well insulated house, we never felt "gusts of hot air" with our gas furnace. I don't sit by the vents to warm up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Heat pumps are fine but if you are used to gas heat and then move to heat pump, it will not feel as warm.

Gas heat feels warmer if that makes sense. Heat pump is not as intense heat.

That's right. Heat pump heat is dry and drafty. It only feel warm if it goes to emergency/ electric heat, which uses more electricity. You need a whole house humidifyer, too. Other than that, it's fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US Department of Energy along with the state governments of Massachusetts and New York just completed a major study of residential heat pump installations. The study is at:
https://e4thefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Residential-ccASHP-Building-Electrification_060322.pdf

The report is 156 pages, you don't have to read the whole thing, but on page 12 they have summaries of surveys of customers who replaced a different heating system with an air-source heat pump (ASHP):

• Performance issues were uncommon with ASHPs and nearly all customers reported lower bills.
• Customers were highly satisfied with heating and cooling performance (8.5/10 for heating and 9.0/10 for cooling).
• These factors lead to an extremely high likelihood to recommend an ASHP to others (whole-home = 8.9/10 would recommend; primary w/ backup = 9.3/10)

Note that both states are quite a bit colder than DC.

Some people still want gas heat and that is ok. It is different kind of heat that feels nicer. Environmentalist want to tell us what to do then just "we ask you to like what we want you to do change your mindset it is so easy" but that is not how it works.

In an old drafty house you will get cold spots and the hotter air of a gas furnace helps to make up for that. I have a new house that is well-insulated and there are no cold spots, I have heat pumps and I barely notice them at all.

+1 this
It's not that gas heat "feels nicer" it's that it works better to warm a leaky house more evenly.

I said what I said. Gas heat feels nicer. Heat pumps move air around a room to make the temp go up. Gas warm the air in a different way. If all you can offer is a suggestion to make an attitude adjustment in order to align with your preference or agenda, i am not interested.

I don't care if you are not interested. What you are saying is said often, is not really accurate and can be confusing for people interested in buying heat pumps. Two things can be true:
1. Heat pumps can work fine in most climates
2. They don't work fine in every house

And with any HVAC system, choosing the right equipment and proper installation matters. In Maryland contractors are not required to and typically do not do Manual J calculations or blower door tests to size systems. They are usually basing sizing on the existing system and/or their own intuition. Many systems are improperly sized.

[Anonymous]

Btw if your house is not ideal for a heat pump, dual fuel may be an option, cost is likely similar plus you can still get a $2k tax credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Btw if your house is not ideal for a heat pump, dual fuel may be an option, cost is likely similar plus you can still get a $2k tax credit.

Or just keep life simple and use gas only, especially if that is what your house is already built for. Some are making it sound like it is an imperative to use a heat pump, but it is not
By the way that 2k tax credit is not exciting.