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Unique heat pump situation, insight appreciated

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Unique heat pump situation, insight appreciated

Posted On: September 25, 2023

Unique heat pump situation, insight appreciated

I live in a duplex from 1886.


I own it, and live in the second and third levels.


The second level has forced air.


Since the air was added, it has been renovated, and it leaves the majority of duct work in stupid spots.


We also do not have enough ducts to reasonably heat the house.


The system blows almost non stop during the winter, and the house stays cool.


We also have a very inefficient 90s central air unit that can't keep up with cooling at all.


The third floor of our house was created about 20 years ago.


It is run off electric baseboard heat and window AC units.


My bedroom takes hours to cool, as we don't have a suitable window so the previous homeowner made a box to fit the AC into the wall and to blow the exhaust outside.


Finally, the basement is halfway exposed, and while it stays cool in summer it is cold in winter.


The house was clearly designed for wood burning stoves to pump out tons of heat and that's it.


Anyway, I have been looking at quotes to redo this with heat pumps.


The thought right now is to split the house into two, replacing half the rooms and the furnace this year, and then doing the other half next year.


I had one quote that I liked, except when I asked the installer about replacing the gas furnace with a heat pump coil and a heating element for really cold days, he said that was a bad idea because it would cost us way more to run the system in the winter.


I figure it wouldn't be that nuts, and I'm willing to pay a bunch more to get heat where it makes sense.


Oh, and the last oddity, the furnace exhaust is screwed, and it will be the last natural gas thing I have, so if I don't replace it with natural gas, I will save $4k on chimney repairs to exhaust it there, and the natural gas connection fees from the power company all year.


In the last few years, we've only had a few days that would be cold enough to need the backup heat for, and if that happens, that's fine.


Otherwise, we'd be mostly on heat pump, and saving on our rooms that would have the baseboard heat as backups.


With that all.


Is this crazy? Am I looking at bills hundreds of dollars more expensive in winter? Final thing to add - our house is well insulated and has new windows.


I think it's worth it from the standpoint of comfort and the new system will balance costs of the second floor being a bit higher but the third being lower cost to heat, but if I switch and it isn't or I find we're spending hundreds more a year in heating, either way we won't be too happy.


Any insight would be hugely appreciated.


I've been wrestling with this for a month now.


Question from user RevolutionaryAd9302 at heatpumps at reddit.


It sounds like you're facing some unique challenges with heating and cooling in your historic duplex, and your desire to upgrade to heat pumps is a reasonable consideration.


Let's break down some of the key points you mentioned:


Inefficient Ductwork: If your current forced air system has inefficient ductwork and doesn't adequately heat your home, replacing it with a heat pump system can be a good idea.


Heat pumps are highly efficient and can provide both heating and cooling.


High Heating Bills: Your concern about higher winter heating bills with a heat pump system is valid, especially in very cold climates.


Heat pumps are most efficient in moderate climates and may require a backup heating source (like electric heating elements) when temperatures drop significantly.


However, advancements in heat pump technology, including variable-speed compressors and improved insulation, have made them more efficient in colder climates.


Heat Pump with Electric Heating Element: Using a heat pump with a heating element as a backup is a common setup.


It can provide efficient heating most of the time and switch to the heating element during extreme cold.


The efficiency and cost-effectiveness of this setup will depend on your climate, the heat pump's performance, and the cost of electricity compared to natural gas.


Reducing Natural Gas Costs: If you're looking to reduce your reliance on natural gas and save on chimney repairs and connection fees, transitioning to an electric heat pump can be a viable option.


However, you should calculate the potential cost savings and compare them to the cost of electricity in your area.


Well-Insulated House with New Windows: Your well-insulated home with new windows is a significant advantage.


It means your heat pump system will work more efficiently, as it won't have to compensate for heat loss through drafts and poor insulation.


Zoning: When upgrading to a heat pump system, consider zoning your home.


This allows you to control the heating and cooling of different areas independently, optimizing comfort and energy efficiency.


Professional Assessment: It's crucial to have a professional HVAC technician assess your specific situation.


They can perform a heat load calculation to determine the right-sized system for your home and provide you with more accurate cost estimates.


Answer from user at heatpumps at reddit.



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by DG Sellers on Twintech Heating and Cooling

Professionally done and took care to cover all entry floors to the house for the installers to remove the old furnace and install a new furnace.
I also made recommendations of the tankless water heater that we had installed and items to address. We did not know they also installed tankless water heaters.

by Bill, Pickering on Twintech Heating and Cooling

Price was not the cheapest nor the most expensive of my quotes. It's the quality of the installation that makes for a good AC system. The twins' knowledge & professionalism was evident in the small details:
Very clean work. Greg made sure that the refrigerant level & temperature were correct. They reinstall the insulation & vapor barrier around the wall. The outside electrical cords were secured to the wall. Proud to support this local company. Thank you.

by Taz on Twintech Heating and Cooling

Great team of guys came to do the work. Very professional. Arrived on time worked very efficiently and were very clean. They answered any questions we had without hesitation. The air conditioner works great and is so quiet. I highly recommend them and they don't try to up-sell anything right from the start.

by Jordan on Twintech Heating and Cooling

The service was prompt, professional and very courteous. Competitive price. Would highly recommend this company.

by David on Twintech Heating and Cooling

Excellent workmanship, and quick response. Would recommend Twintech to anyone.

by Todd Whyte on Twintech Heating and Cooling

My existing 15-yr old A/C went down on me during the first major heatwave of the season. Researched my options, as well as a few different installers, and decided on Twintech.

They gave me confidence right from the beginning. Extremely knowledgeable. Their communication was excellent - always responded to questions quickly. Given we were in a heatwave, they were fully booked. However, within days they were able to fit me in due to a cancellation. Upon learning that the Amana unit I was getting installed was on backorder, TwinTech went to bat for me with the manufacturer and was able to get me the next model up within a day, for the same price - Amazing!

As far as the installation was concerned, I couldn’t be more impressed. These guys were clearly very experienced and did a fantastic job. Very clean, polite, timely & informative. They even thoroughly sealed all the exposed gaps in my ductwork. I’ve had plenty of heating and cooling work done in the past and have never used the same contractor twice because I’ve never been very impressed. However, from now on, I’ll always be contacting Twintech first!

by Jordan Arnott, Courtice on Twintech Heating and Cooling

They were very friendly and took care of everything. The install looks great (and works great), they were very knowledgeable. Installed our a/c efficiently despite the difficult install location both inside and outside and they made it work.

by Lori Ellis on Twintech Heating and Cooling

Phenomenal service, so glad I found these guys a few years back after being "hosed" badly by 3 other companies. I've recommended them to so many, and they all are so thankful.

by Jonathan Rogoza on Twintech Heating and Cooling

This company is fantastic. Dave came out and gave me a very honest and reasonable quote, unlike a quote received from another company. I had a bunch of questions that were easily answered and when I had questions regarding heating/cooling a previously unheated room above the Garage, Dave arranged for Greg to come out for an assessment of this new space and gave me his recommendation along with his professional thoughts on all of my options.

These guys have been nothing but Professional, honest and helpful along the way. I can't recall the two other guys doing the install, but they were great as well. Good workmanship, everything was cleaned up and everything functions as promised. I could go on and on about my experience, but it's all positive so what more could you want?

Give them a call, see for yourself. If I had to buy another furnace/AC or heat pump, they'd be my first call.

by Private User on Twintech Heating and Cooling

I hired twin tech to convert my townhouse heating from electric to gas and install a furnace and a/c unit. I had talked with many other vendors, and received several quotes, but chose them, and very happy I did. Here are some of the reasons why:
1. They were realistic about the timeline for the work, when they could start and how long it would take. (They said upfront, it was their busy season and would need to get back to me in 3 weeks, which they did):
2. They had a quote with options for me. They were clear about the entertainment of what they would and would not do (they’d build duct work, id need another contractor to box in ductwork). This allowed me to plan as I was my own general contractor for my renovations).
3. They spoke to me in a language I understood, neither too technical nor too simple. They answered all my questions as I had them. Everyone is so lovely to work with, the sales team and the contractors who are worked in my home.
4. It’s been 4 m since the work was complete. They still answer my emails and my furnace is working very well!

I unabashedly recommend! Price, customer care and quality workmanship were all amazing!

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See What Our Customers Are Saying:

by Aaron on Twintech Heating and Cooling

We are very happy to recommend this company to everyone. Our furnace broke down on Sunday morning. We phoned them and before noon Grant the owner showed up. He worked on the furnace for about a hour not wanting to give up to fix the problem. The furnace was 17 years old. I was the one talking about replacing it. End result was the next day it was all done. On the Sunday Bob came over with heaters to warm up the house. We decided to replace the water heater at the same time. Thanks Grant for the excellent work. Thumbs up.

by Linda on Twintech Heating and Cooling

Right on time. Explained how to work the HRV in a different way so the house would not be so dry. Changed my whole house water filter for me as well. Friendly, helpful, caring service!

by Robert Rogers on Twintech Heating and Cooling

Very pleased with the professional service that TwinTech Heating and Cooling provided in replacing my furnace. I got several quotes from different service providers. Their price was excellent and they explained the features very well. We are very glad we went with TwinTech and highly recommend their services.

by Robert Mizuno on Twintech Heating and Cooling

We were new homeowners in need of a second opinion. TwinTech Heating & Cooling were Amazing and professional. Very knowledgeable and great service all around. Recommend to anyone looking for honest and reliable services. Treated with respect and care. Thank you Greg, Mitch and Bob!

by Ruth on Twintech Heating and Cooling

TwinTech is an excellent and honest company! I called them for a second opinion after being told by another company that I needed to replace my furnace. Turns out this was not the case at all! I did not need a new furnace. TwinTech did not push to make an unnecessary sale and saved me from a huge expense. Bob and Mitch were extremely professional and above all honest! I definitely recommend TwinTech!

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