SuperiorHeatingAndAir.com

Are heat pumps used and well known about in your area?

Heat pumps of different types are being used with big success in Sweden where I live. Despite our rather cold climate it works very well and has drastically reduced the average household's use of other energy sources for heating our houses and is also economically beneficial for those who choose to install them. (They can also be used to cool the air.) Is it being used where you live? If not what do you think is the main obstacle from using it? For more information please check this site: http://www.heatpumpcentre.org/ Afratta: I live in Sweden and our winters can be cold. There are heat pumps that works even down to -20 degrees Celsius. Also, you can use heat pumps that recycle the heat in the air indoors which is already heated. We are using that in our house and it works extremely well. For your convenience: -20 Celsius equals -2 Fahrenheit and 45 F equals 7 C Afratta: I do appreciate you sharing your knowledge, thanks. Yes, you're right that heat pumps can't work as the only energy source in cold climate but I don't see why that would stop us from using them (as long as they are beneficial for our economy and the environment). The heat pump we use at our home (the one that use the heat from the air inside instead of from outside) approximately saves us 7000 kWh/year. The need for oil within the Swedish building and services sectors has decreased with 70% since 1983, partly because of heat pumps. Also, we both know that market economies are great to find solutions to a need, and the development of heat pumps are moving forward in a high speed.

Public Comments

1. heat pumps are great when the outdoor air is above 45*f. when it drops below that, they take a nose dive in efficiency. the colder the outdoor temp, the worse it gets. i'd NEVER own one unless: only electricity was available- (even then i'd go wood heat, if possible.) or i lived in a mild climate. other than that, you can keep them! edit- those comments apply only to an air to air or air to water heat pumps, the 2 most common types. if you get water to air or water to water, they don't not lose efficiency near as bad- ground source or geo thermal. these 2 types are rather expensive to install. it's ALL dependant on the heat source- edit- did i say they wouldn't work? no. did i say the lose effiecency-yes. a 2 ton heat pump @ 47*f puts out approx 23,800 btu/hr. (2 tons = 24,000 btu/hr) it drops to 13,000 btu/hr @ 17*F- almost a 50% decline in heating capacity. heaven knows what it would be @ -2*f. depending on insulation factors, that would determine exfiltration of heat, would determine the heat needed to be replaced as it left the house. as we know, the colder it is outside, and the warmer it is inside, the quicker the heat will leave. so the colder it is outside the more heat needs to be replaced. if you need 24,000 btu/hr at 17*f, and your heat pump only provides 13,000 where does the rest come from? auxiliary, suplemental or back up heaters. these heaters are electrical resistance heaters. they've been out lawed for use as a primary heat source in the u.s. for almost 20 years now. why? too inefficient. 99% of all heaters and a/c units recycle the air from inside and reheat/cool it. you couldn't afford to run them otherwise. i have installed, repaired, rebuilt and replace these machines for over 20 years. 10 of those as a lisenced contractor. i know the capabilities and limitations quite well. i hope you don't take it as arrogance, as the internet tends to not convey to well. i'm just sharing my vast knowledge and experience on the subject. a good salesma make it sound like a great deal. their job is to sell stuff, not necessarily give you ALL THE FACTS. all i'm saying is there are facts no one tells you about. like defrost cycles on air sourced heat pumps. or capacity reduction in cold weather, or running a heatpump AND a aux. heater just to keep your house warm. i hope you understand.
2. They're widely used where I live. (Sibley, Missouri, USA). The newer ones work fine in our climate zone. I think the new ones work a lot better than the originals. The "boost" feature gives you a supplemental electric heater when the pump isn't enough (I'd prefer a wood stove). If you're the kind who likes 80 in the winter and 60 in the summer, you wouldn't like them.
3. I live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and heat pumps are common around here... but in the winter, an 'air-source' heat pump needs a backup heat unit to make enough heat, usually electric resistance coils or a natural gas heater. We have a new and unique system at our office, however: geothermal heat pumps. The geothermal system uses the constant underground temperature as a thermal reservoir for either heating or cooling. Year-round, this geothermal source heat pump system is much more efficient to run than a traditional heat pump. I'd recommend it to anyone!!