Using secondary heat for a few days or even a month a year is still a huge improvement, huge cost savings, and adds up to a massive reduction in annual carbon footprint, even if you’re using a fossil fuel furnace for secondary heat. People are crazy to not consider heat pumps as the primary heat option, especially if you already have central air conditioning, it’s basically the same machine, typically with the same connections and location, just physically somewhat bigger. Obviously it won’t work absolutely everywhere, but for the vast majority it’s a brilliant option and almost a drop-in replacement.
mmm…so they claim. I know people with heat pumps who needed to install secondary heating. Entirely depends on house size.
cecilkorik@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
GreenBeard@lemmy.ca 1 month ago
If you’re installing the right sized heat pump for the space you’re heating, they’re great. If you try to heat Buckingham Palace with a space heater, you’re going to have a bad time.
bluGill@fedia.io 1 month ago
Not just size, location. The best heat pumps stop working at around -20. Where I live it gets colder than that for a few days every couple years so I must have secondary heating.
The common heat pump in the US is only good to 25. There is no reason for this, but I don't know how to fix it.
timroerstroem@feddit.dk 1 month ago
Of course it depends on the house; just like you wouldn’t put a moped engine in a tank, a heat pump needs to be sized for the space to be heated (or cooled).