I need a new air conditioning unit and am considering changing to a heat pump on the advice of a HVAC contractor.
Could I get an unbiased opinion please? The house is 11 years old, a builder grade insulation package and 2300 sq. ft. The ceilings are fairly high and I am cold every winter as the heat goes to the ceiling. Doesn't seem to matter much if I get space heaters. Anyway, he says if I add a humidifier and do the heat pump it will be less heat bill and more comfortable. But my cost goes from $4400 to $10,000. As I will only live in the home 3-5 years I don't think I will recover the difference. Comments? Thanks!! And do I really need a Trane or can a lesser quality unit suffice since I really don't want to invest for the long term?
You might also consider not going with the heat pump and instead spend a portion of those ...»
PS- the things that save you the most on energy savings typically don't cost as much as new mechanical equipment.
I have lived from Rhode Island to Florida and back again several times. If I am cold in my house over the winter, a heat pump alone is not what comes to mind to fix my problem..... "Toasty" warm and "heat pump" do not belong in the same sentence....there is much more to it than that.
I would take Sawhorse up on his offer. ...»
Trane is one of several quality manufacturers...but keep in mind most manufacturers have good, better and best systems. Don't get sold on a brand name for namesake only... Tim
Heat pumps in Fla are great things as during the heating season most of the lows are well within a operating mode that does not require the aux heat to operate.
However, simply putting in a heat pump will not solve your problem. Heat pump temps are much cooler then that of a gas or electrical furnace output. Sometimes by as much as 40 degrees. And if ...»
Adding a humidifier will help a bit. But with heat pumps you need a power unit that may also require heating the water to it to allow for enough humidity to be created. These units are expensive both to purchase and to maintain.
As far as Trane, Carrier, Lennox and bunch more. They are all great. But can also not work correctly if they are not installed properly. The installation of the system makes all the difference in the world. So no you do not need to purchase this manufactures system.
Having an energy audit done will provide you with a lot of very useful information about your home. Not only how to make it more energy efficient, but how to make it more comfortable. They will pinpoint out where your loosing your money and where you need to spend it. They can also size the system for the house for you so your not putting in a system that is over sized for you home.
In addition the audit should be able to provide you with some insight on payback times based on where your putting your money. Once you have this information you will be able to determine what system and expense makes the most sense for you and your wallet.
770-918-8187 ask for Ian to come out if you would like to give me a try.
R values today are R19 floors, R13 walls and R38 in ceilings. When I started they were not required in floors, R 11 in walls and R 19 in ceilings. Codes have done well at keeping up with ...»
I would suggest spending a few thousand dollars and upgrade (only because time has dictated higher R values) your attic and floor (if applicable). Easy enough and great peace of mind.
I replaced my Min seer heat pump with a new min seer heat pump last year and (only from new equiptment) have seen my heating and cooling costs cut in half, here in Virginia.
I did upgrade my floor and ceiling insulation to R19 and R38+ respectivly a few years back.