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Is a reversible air-air heat pump a proper heating system?
- retrac 5y agoSomething occurred to me with this whole green transition. I'm also considering a reversible heat pump when I replace the furnace. What's the backup home heating source? It's not such an issue in the UK, I suppose. But over here, sometimes ice pulls down the power lines in the middle of winter and it can be out for days (or sometimes weeks). People sometimes freeze, or more often die of carbon monoxide poisoning when that happens. I have a natural gas and wood heating stove with proper venting, mostly for when the power cuts out. A big battery isn't going to cut it, obviously. Methanol-burning stove for heating maybe?
- Siecje 5y agoIf you don't have electricity does your natural gas furnace work? The fan wouldn't work. Also if it gets too cold for the heat pump to pump enough heat the air handler can be fitted with a restive heater that will kick in when it is too cold (below -30 C here).
- retrac 5y agoYes,it runs fine (and the manual says it's safe to run without). It's not a lot of heat, I think it's only about 2000 W. But that's the difference between the pipes freezing and just needing a sweater. (Fortunately it doesn't get -40 °C cold in my part of Canada.)
- Siecje 5y agoOttawa Canada here. Where does the heat go though? Could the pipes/traps on the other side of the house freeze?
- retrac 5y agoMine is in the basement, and it diffuses throughout the house. Next to it is uncomfortably warm on full, the bedrooms on the first floor on the far side of the house are above freezing but not warm. If you had it in a bedroom on the second floor and your piping was in the basement, it might not be enough. It doesn't take too much to keep a well-insulated house above freezing though. In my experience, even body heat and a few candles is sufficient unless it's below like -10 °C or really windy.