heat pumps
- Thread starter sstrauss
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
Brock
Flashaholic
What is it for, central heating? Is it a ground source or plain air-to-air heat pump? I have messed with air to air for pool heating, and house cooling. My parents also have a ground source heat pump.
In any case I wouldn't think an air to air (looks like an AC compressor sitting outside) would work well in CO. Actually they are more efficient then gas until about 40 degrees F, below that they drop off really fast, and at about 25F they are the same efficiency as electric resistance heat.
Ground source uses the ground below frost as the heat source. So down 20 feet you're at 50F (or what ever it happens be in your area) and it pretty much stays that way all year round. So they are much more efficient, but they are really $$$ to install, and they have to bury lines all over the place. They are working on a single and dual point well sort of exchange system, but I don't know where they do it yet, or if it has been approved even.
In any case I wouldn't think an air to air (looks like an AC compressor sitting outside) would work well in CO. Actually they are more efficient then gas until about 40 degrees F, below that they drop off really fast, and at about 25F they are the same efficiency as electric resistance heat.
Ground source uses the ground below frost as the heat source. So down 20 feet you're at 50F (or what ever it happens be in your area) and it pretty much stays that way all year round. So they are much more efficient, but they are really $$$ to install, and they have to bury lines all over the place. They are working on a single and dual point well sort of exchange system, but I don't know where they do it yet, or if it has been approved even.
I live here in central Illinois where it gets cold and have a heat pump that's several years old. I think about a 10 seer. My furnace is a 90+ Lennox pulse. Frankly, it's way cheaper and warmer to just run my furnace. I know heat pump technology has come a long way since mine was installed, but it's seems hard to beat a 90+. Especially in a cooler climate.
James S
Flashlight Enthusiast
[ QUOTE ]
at about 25F they are the same efficiency as electric resistance heat.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thats because below 25 or so they ARE resistance heat /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Once the heat pump can't get enough heat out of the air they kick in the resistance heaters and your bill goes through the roof.
They are very good in winters that don't spend a lot of time that far below freezing or if you have some other kind of heat exchanger as Brock notes, but not so good otherwise.
You'll have to do some math on the cost of electricity vs the cost of gas in your area. It may very well be that to pay for resistance heat for the few days/weeks/months that your system will need it will be less expensive than paying for gas the rest of the time.
Figuring that out might be a pain though. Get a second opinion from another heat installer guy.
at about 25F they are the same efficiency as electric resistance heat.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thats because below 25 or so they ARE resistance heat /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Once the heat pump can't get enough heat out of the air they kick in the resistance heaters and your bill goes through the roof.
They are very good in winters that don't spend a lot of time that far below freezing or if you have some other kind of heat exchanger as Brock notes, but not so good otherwise.
You'll have to do some math on the cost of electricity vs the cost of gas in your area. It may very well be that to pay for resistance heat for the few days/weeks/months that your system will need it will be less expensive than paying for gas the rest of the time.
Figuring that out might be a pain though. Get a second opinion from another heat installer guy.
eluminator
Flashlight Enthusiast
Some heat pump furnaces use underground water as the source of heat. My nephew had one in his previous house. He had a well and there was lot's of water so I think the discharge just went down the hill and into a creek. He was thinking he might need a second well to inject the water back in the ground but I don't think he ever needed it.
His rarely if ever needed the resistance heat even when the temperature would get to -10 F in the winter. It was a new house and well insulated.
His needed occasional repair and there was only one person around who could do it. For this reason he wasn't very satisfied with it.
So if you get one, make sure it's reliable and you can get good service if necessary.
His rarely if ever needed the resistance heat even when the temperature would get to -10 F in the winter. It was a new house and well insulated.
His needed occasional repair and there was only one person around who could do it. For this reason he wasn't very satisfied with it.
So if you get one, make sure it's reliable and you can get good service if necessary.
Clifton Arnold
Newly Enlightened
As I work on heating and Airconditioning commerical equipment. I can tell you that a lot of commerical property
are using water soarce heat pumps to condition. Engineers
have figured out that the core of the building will be a lot
of the time calling for cooling and the exterior will be
calling for heating in the winter. So they only have to provide a small boiler to keep loop temp up in the winter
and a cooling tower to keep loop temps down in the summer
in answer to your question what is advarge mean low temp
in your area. If it is below 30 degrees F i would not
recomend an air to air heat pump to you. Even though OPPD
tells use that they are very competive with natural gas
down to 26 degrees F. The water sorce heat pump that you
talked about has other problems that you must deal with
also and they are usually more costly repairs to but yes
they do work very efficently. I hope this helps you.
are using water soarce heat pumps to condition. Engineers
have figured out that the core of the building will be a lot
of the time calling for cooling and the exterior will be
calling for heating in the winter. So they only have to provide a small boiler to keep loop temp up in the winter
and a cooling tower to keep loop temps down in the summer
in answer to your question what is advarge mean low temp
in your area. If it is below 30 degrees F i would not
recomend an air to air heat pump to you. Even though OPPD
tells use that they are very competive with natural gas
down to 26 degrees F. The water sorce heat pump that you
talked about has other problems that you must deal with
also and they are usually more costly repairs to but yes
they do work very efficently. I hope this helps you.
Floating Spots
Enlightened
My experience with a heat pump in conjunction with a furnace have been very positive. This system works very well.
A thermostat is setup with both heat sources available.
A thermal sensor mounted outside decides the temperature.
There is a break point where the cost of running the heat pump equals the cost of running the furnace. Around here its about 37 degrees with the system we have. For a typical fall day, only the heat pump ever runs. Towards late fall, both sources may switch back and forth as the temperature crosses that point.
The furnace will run at night, and the heat pump during the day.
With the proper setup, the decision is normally out of your hands.
Basically, if you need a new air conditioner, a heat pump is not much more. They can actually save you money
A thermostat is setup with both heat sources available.
A thermal sensor mounted outside decides the temperature.
There is a break point where the cost of running the heat pump equals the cost of running the furnace. Around here its about 37 degrees with the system we have. For a typical fall day, only the heat pump ever runs. Towards late fall, both sources may switch back and forth as the temperature crosses that point.
The furnace will run at night, and the heat pump during the day.
With the proper setup, the decision is normally out of your hands.
Basically, if you need a new air conditioner, a heat pump is not much more. They can actually save you money
