Human Brain EnthusiastBtw heat pumps don’t need oil to heat your house. And they can cool as well (any sane model does).
Maybe a good investment…
Glenn Fleishman@thomasfuchs not to be that guy, but heat pumps use electricity which may be fed by oil, coal, or natural gas electrical plants! I’m very fortunate in Seattle that we are nearly 100% hydro, wind, solar, and nuclear. Still, I agree heat pumps are the right direction!
@glennf this argument makes no sense because even if your electrical power comes from fossil fuels those plants are way more efficient than burning stuff locally; the oil or gas doesn’t have to be transported, etc.
there’s a good series from technology connections, worth watching
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0jwu7G_DFVIot1ubOZdR-KC-LFdOVqi&si=N0RRwuN0DkVB-8lt
@thomasfuchs Don’t get me wrong—it’s the same issue with EVs. Dirty power still hides behind the scenes in many places, so there's not a total disconnect in cost or outcomes. Ideally and long-term, we are migrating to a cleaner, fossil-fuel free infrastructure, but "put in a heat pump" isn't = to “fossil-fuel free heat and cooling" in many parts of the U.S. Differs in other countries, too!
@thomasfuchs We have 95%+ efficient natural gas furnaces that are incredibly inefficient compared to previous models and, yes, it's non-point-source pollution, and there's a distribution network to get the natural gas to us. So burning natural gas centrally and capturing pollutants is surely better. I agree with that, too! But it's not unallayed.
@glennf heat pumps have 300 to 500% efficiency, because they don’t use the energy to generate heat, they move heat (from the outside inside)
@thomasfuchs Hey, I own a heat pump. We had it put in after a 107°F day in Seattle four years ago, and I like to say, my household approval ratings among the family have never been higher since I arranged to have it installed about three years ago. Our summers can be brutal because Seattle isn’t set up for truly hot weather.
While you’re right about efficiency, fuel and electricity costs offset the efficiency benefit, depending on region and cooling needs (versus heating).
Carolyn@glennf @thomasfuchs "Will switching to a heat pump save you money? Here's how to find out
Your current heating system, location and type of heat pump can all impact costs and savings"
"The researchers calculated that replacing a gas furnace and an air conditioner with an air-source heat pump (which does both heating and cooling) would typically save money in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/heat-pump-cost-savings-1.6975426
Will switching to a heat pump save you money? Here's how to find out | CBC News
Many CBC readers have asked about the costs of switching their heating and cooling system to a heat pump. A new report and online calculator are the latest to show that many Canadian households could save money by making the switch. Here’s a closer look at the potential costs and savings.
@glennf @thomasfuchs "The new report is the most recent showing that heat pumps don't just cut greenhouse gas emissions relative to fossil fuel heating, but often save money.
But that depends on several questions. What kinds of homes are they installed in? In which regions? With what kind of heating? And what kind of heat pump system would they be adopting?"