For heat pump enthusiasts, one person on Reddit recently offered a dream come true — the chance to spread the word.
"Please convince me on a heat pump," they wrote in the r/heatpumps subreddit. They were considering making the switch after a friend told them that doing so would achieve 3.5 times the efficiency of their current system, even in the coldest temperatures — "which I find hard to believe," they clarified.
"The only reason I'm considering it is because with my AC being 20 yrs old and a government rebate my total cost would be 1700 CAD$ for a heat pump," they said. "I very much appreciate any insight."
OP also mentioned that they had a gas furnace as well, which could provide auxiliary help if the heat pump ever encountered temperatures too cold to function.
The community quickly jumped in with their thoughts. "Do it! You'll find that if set properly, the gas will only come on occasionally," one said. "You'll be money ahead."
Another offered their perspective, having installed a similar setup: "Using my Ecobee I set my heat pump to only run above 20F, since that's close to my economical cutoff with electricity of $0.10/kwh…Almost everyone can save money using it this way," they explained. "But, even more importantly to me, my use of carbon-based energy has decreased substantially (maybe 70%) because of it."
Indeed, many people who opt for the clean heating of heat pumps — which use thermal energy, rather than pollutive dirty energy sources — consider both the environmental impact and the massive cost savings as their primary motivations for switching. And considering that home heating and cooling is responsible for a massive amount of each household's energy footprint — over half on average — these savings add up quickly.
Additionally, given the significant incentives to cut down on installation costs, one commenter pointed out how it would be quick for OP to recoup the cost in savings. "So, I think it's an easy choice," they concluded. "Get the heat pump."
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Some people did point out that in certain areas, finding a reliable installer was going to be the most challenging part of the process.
"Some companies are riding the hype wave and thinking they can charge 300% markups," one warned.
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Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to buy a heat pump? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
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Shortly after, the original poster shared a happy update: "Thank you for all your replies. I have decided to go ahead and get the heat pump."
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