5 ms·

What’s your plan? I’m likely to be facing the same situation soon, so any insight would be valuable.

0_____0 3y ago
Reno'ing a 2 unit house in NE USA, 3300 sqft~ Gut rehab, all new MEP and interiors except floors. Going all-electric. HVAC to be 3x condensers (1 per floor). One air handler in basement, two in attic space, with the entire system being ducted, or if somehow my installer convinces me, all ducted with exception of wall units in 3 of the bedrooms. Going for state and federal tax credits, my state has list of approved equipment. I'm going with Mitsubishi hyper-heat for the low temp performance. Even though it should be fine even w 0F winters they quoted resistive backup heaters for the air handlers. State is going to get more strict about what equipment meets their criteria in 2024, I'm getting in under the gun.
- thsksbd 3y ago
  Why all electric? Your plan seems big enough that you'll have multiple outdoor units. Why not have a gas furnace instead of two heat pumps? If the power goes out for an extended period of time (not improbable in the NE) a furnace will happily run off of a cheap generator. Im not hating on HP, I installed one in my old house (now rental) and will probably add one to my current house. But Im to freaked out of burst pipes to drop a furnace.
  - 0_____0 3y ago
    Subsidies. So many subsidies. IRA, state. And I get A/C for free, and get to ditch the insane duct system that was built into the house and reclaim almost the entire basement. I'm in metro Boston which is reliable as far as power goes. Last big outages were 2003 and 1965? My friends who live here longer say the longest they've personally experienced was ~12 hours. I am considering adding batteries to the house eventually, although I would need to figure out smart load management. Also consider that you can easily make your own electricity (I've got a good south facing roof) but not your own NatGas.
    - thsksbd 3y ago
      Good answer, but don't forget the 90s Quebec ice storms weren't far from where you are. A week or two w/out power would suck.
      - brewtide 3y ago
        In Maine, ice storm of '98. Can confirm, did suck. Also got to ice skate down the road, across the lawn, and, well, anywhere.

Reno'ing a 2 unit house in NE USA, 3300 sqft~ Gut rehab, all new MEP and interiors except floors. Going all-electric. HVAC to be 3x condensers (1 per floor). One air handler in basement, two in attic space, with the entire system being ducted, or if somehow my installer convinces me, all ducted with exception of wall units in 3 of the bedrooms. Going for state and federal tax credits, my state has list of approved equipment. I'm going with Mitsubishi hyper-heat for the low temp performance. Even though it should be fine even w 0F winters they quoted resistive backup heaters for the air handlers. State is going to get more strict about what equipment meets their criteria in 2024, I'm getting in under the gun.

thsksbd 3y ago
Why all electric? Your plan seems big enough that you'll have multiple outdoor units. Why not have a gas furnace instead of two heat pumps? If the power goes out for an extended period of time (not improbable in the NE) a furnace will happily run off of a cheap generator. Im not hating on HP, I installed one in my old house (now rental) and will probably add one to my current house. But Im to freaked out of burst pipes to drop a furnace.
- 0_____0 3y ago
  Subsidies. So many subsidies. IRA, state. And I get A/C for free, and get to ditch the insane duct system that was built into the house and reclaim almost the entire basement. I'm in metro Boston which is reliable as far as power goes. Last big outages were 2003 and 1965? My friends who live here longer say the longest they've personally experienced was ~12 hours. I am considering adding batteries to the house eventually, although I would need to figure out smart load management. Also consider that you can easily make your own electricity (I've got a good south facing roof) but not your own NatGas.
  - thsksbd 3y ago
    Good answer, but don't forget the 90s Quebec ice storms weren't far from where you are. A week or two w/out power would suck.
    - brewtide 3y ago
      In Maine, ice storm of '98. Can confirm, did suck. Also got to ice skate down the road, across the lawn, and, well, anywhere.