3 ms·
> For the couple of fringe months where a heat pump can actually heat your house Heat pumps can heat throughout the entire winter in most of New England. The i
by daydream 4y ago
> For the couple of fringe months where a heat pump can actually heat your house
Heat pumps can heat throughout the entire winter in most of New England. The idea that they can’t keep up when it gets cold just isn’t true with new technology.
New England had a day and a half or so this earlier this year where temperatures got as low as -10F (F, not Celsius). Afterwards a newspaper did an informal poll of heat pump owners. The overwhelming majority (IIRC 90%) of respondents said their heat pumps kept up fine. Keep in mind not all of these installs were the latest and greatest tech either.
- ygra 4y agoInsulation is probably the more important factor. If you don't lose too much heat to the outside, the heat pump doesn't even have to do that much. Or any other heat source, for that matter.
- vanilla_nut 4y agoGood point. Most of New England is just not that cold any more. Where I live in Northern New England, we got down to -20, almost -30 during that cold snap. And had a lot of sustained 0-ish temps throughout the winter. I wouldn't be comfortable using only a heat pump as a fuel source in my 1800s house. But I suspect it would likely keep the pipes from freezing. My relationship might not survive it, though. Better to keep the propane heat source for now :)