What Is A Heat Pump And The Advantages Vs. Gas Heat

Comments(12)

• 
  getitqwik9th November, 2005

  Heat pumps collect heat from air and are forced thru the home with a fan. On cloudy days your electric heat itself will kick in. Advantages 1. Cleaner, 2. Cheaper than natural gas or propane. 3. Less maintenance.
  
  Disadvantage 1. NO ELECTRIC NO HEAT AND NO HEAT PUMP. 2. Misunderstood by many people that hear of them or have them.

• 
  jwalko9th November, 2005

  rbjj:
  
  A heat pump will take ambient heat from the air and use it to heat the house. Even when it feels cold to you (say, 50 degrees), there is still enough heat in the air to heat the house. The electric is what is also called back up heat. The efficiency of heat pumps drops when the temperature gets below 40 degrees outside. To maintain the heat inside the house, the back up heat kicks on. The backup could be electric or gas. if electric, basically, the forced air passes over electric coils that heat the air (watch your electric meter...when this kicks on, it will spin like a top).
  
  I have had heat pumps in my last two houses. It works well when the temperature is warmer. Both houses had gas back up, which I like more than a electric. A gas furnace will heat the forced air to about 110 degrees, whereas a heat pump only heats it to about 95 degrees. Because of this, the "heat" from a heat pump never feels as warm as from a gas furnace.
  
  Oh and by the way, a heat pump is basically an air conditioner that works in reverse. Instead of removing heat from your inside air, it adds heat to it. Most heat pumps also function as an air conditioning unit in the summer by running in reverse (simplified description).
  
  Where are you looking for properties in Cincinnati? I might be able to help. See my profile and send me an email if you are interested.
  
  John Walko

• 
  rbjj9th November, 2005

  Thanks Jwalko for expanding on the heat pump.
  
  Most of the houses we have looked at or inquired about that have heat pumps have been in Fairfield and Springdale . Guess electric heat and heat pumps are popular in those areas.
  
  If you have something Pm me.
  
  Thanks !

• 
  Stockpro999th November, 2005

  I have never ever hear that a heat pump is cheaper than forced air/natural gas. Especially in colder climates.........
  
  [addsig]

• 
  rbjj10th November, 2005

  Stockpro,
  
  You say that you have never heard of a heat pump being cheaper and warmer in cold climate, So can you tell me what you know about Electric Heat and Heat Pumps., because we are in a COLD CLIMATE.
  
  Thanks !

• 
  rbjj10th November, 2005

  Stockpro,
  
  You say that you have never heard of a heat pump being cheaper and warmer in cold climate, So can you tell me what you know about Electric Heat and Heat Pumps., because we are in a COLD CLIMATE.
  
  Thanks !

• 
  rbjj10th November, 2005

  Thanks Jim for your reply.
  
  From all the replies I gather that you can use a Heat Pump with either Gas forced air furnances or electric heat , Is this correct
  
  The Heat Pump is separte from the heating system, and works along with whatever heating system you use. Is this right or wrong.

• 
  rbjj10th November, 2005

  Thanks Getitqwik.
  
  I read the article, and I am beginning to understand a little better.
  
  I will do some internet searching on the heat pump also.
  
  Thanks !

• 
  mikejaquish10th November, 2005

  Just to chime in:
  A year ago I installed a Trane "Packaged unit."
  In the South they are called "Gas Packs"
  Cheap for the builder, with the ac and furnace units already fully installed in one cabinet, and duct work punched through the crawlspace wall..
  
  Well, the new unit is dual fuel, a heat pump with a gas furnace backup. Very happy last winter, as my bills were euivalent to the season before, witha harsher winter, and higher fuel costs.
  
  The heat pump is a little cooler, but at 48-50 degrees and 12 SEER, it is almost free to run.
  When it gets too cold for the heat pump, or when the smart thermostat calls for thehouse to warm up in the morning or afternoon, the gas backup is a blessing.
  Installed cost was about 8% more than a replacement gas pack. Well worth it, IMO.
  
  And, yes the AC savings are very nice too.
  [addsig]

• 
  Stockpro9911th November, 2005

  rbbj
  
  IN a cold area heat pumps and electric heat are ruinous....!
  
  In my last area which frequently had sub zero temps electric heating for 800sf unit was about $400 a month vs $100 for propane or oil furnaces (with oil being slightly cheaper as it burns 25% more efficiently.
  [addsig]

• 
  NC_Yank11th November, 2005

  I agree Mike,
  
  I am installing the same system in my homes............I am also
  encapsulating my crawl spaces.......cost more but well worth it.
  
  NC_Yank
  
  PS. I use to deal with Trane quite a bit up north but since I have been in the south I have had several lemmons when it comes to Trane........probably just a coincidence....however enough to make to steer clear of them.

• 
  bgrossnickle11th November, 2005

  Finding the deal is the hardest part about rehabbing. I have a full time employee in the office and a full time crew rehabbing. And I spend all my time finding the deal and most of my office employees time just finding the deal. If it was easy to find deals where you could buy a house, fix it up, and make 20k, then everybody would be doing it.
  
  There are several courses on how to find deals and several books. Bottom line is that most people use a variety of methods - not just one.
  
  These are some of the more popular methods of finding the deal (1) bandit signs (2) letters (3) networking with other RE investors for wholesale houses (4) MLS (5) advertising in the paper (6) canvasing neighborhoods (7) targeting distressed houses