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> stems from the fact that the parenthetical isn't just a tangent, it's a non sequitur. It's not a non sequitur to point out a superior alternative like that.
by wtallis 2y ago
> stems from the fact that the parenthetical isn't just a tangent, it's a non sequitur.
It's not a non sequitur to point out a superior alternative like that. If air conditioning is on-topic, heat pumps are either on topic or a tangent.
- lolinder 2y ago> All the while, fiercer heat waves will require more energy-hungry air conditioning to keep people healthy. (Though ideally, everyone would get a heat pump instead.) Juxtaposed with "heat waves will require more energy-hungry air conditioning", heat pumps are a non sequitur. A nonzero percentage of those energy-hungry air conditioners are actually heat pumps running in air conditioning mode. "Everyone should get heat pumps instead" of what? Instead of a heater. As OP says, heat pumps save no energy during the summer, so they're entirely irrelevant here in a "though" clause.
- thaumasiotes 2y ago> A nonzero percentage of those energy-hungry air conditioners are actually heat pumps running in air conditioning mode. Wouldn't that percentage be... 100%?
- lolinder 2y agoFair enough!
- wtallis 2y ago> "Everyone should get heat pumps instead" of what? Instead of a heater. You almost understand. The author is saying that if you're installing or upgrading your air conditioning, you should take the opportunity to also replace any heating system that isn't a heat pump, rather than only upgrade half of your HVAC system.
- lolinder 2y agoI understand that that's probably the connection the author was desperately reaching for, but what they were actually saying is "we have some other content over here that I'm obliged to plug, so here's a plug". And since the plug was the point, little effort was made to make the connection make sense.