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Need Advice Heat Pump or A/c and furnance?

Discussion in 'Homeowners Corner' started by jmbranch, Apr 5, 2013.

  1. jmbranch

    jmbranch New Member

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    Any experience with heat pumps ? I am thinking about replacing the upstairs A/C this year. Should I consider a heat pump?
     
  2. z28lt1

    z28lt1 New Member

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    We have gas furnace/AC downstairs and heat pump upstairs. It seems to work very well for us. Heat pump seems to handle just about all our weather without the the backup kicking on I believe (but don't have real evidence) it is more efficient. Our floor plan is fairly open, so the upstairs gets a decent amount of heat from the downstairs, which is why they give us furnace downstairs and heat pump up stairs to begin with. It seems like a good solution.

    One word of note that first time heat pump users struggle with. The air coming out of a heat pump is not as hot at a furnance. That doesn't make it any less efficient, but people that are used to feeling hot air blow out of a vent, seems to not take to warm (instead of hot) air blowing out of a vent. I don't spend too much time standing over the vents, so it doesn't bother me, but I have heard complaints.
     
  3. greggbroadlands

    greggbroadlands New Member

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    I lived with a heat pump in Reston for a few years. I would never do that again. Gas furnace much warmer and worth the money.
     
  4. z28lt1

    z28lt1 New Member

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    That's the point I was trying to make above. Some people just don't like it. Again, for me, I don't have any issues, as I don't spend time standing by a vent. A gas furnace and a heat pump will both heat a room to 75 degrees or more just fine. A Heatpump will do it with 93 degree air, and a gas furnace might do it with 120 degree air. One feels luke warm (or even cool) to the touch (93 degrees is still less than body temp, so it doesn't feel hot) and the other feels warm/hot to the touch. Some people just don't like the air out of the vents to not be hot. (note the temps I've given are samples, depending upon the specific unit, ducting, etc actual temps will be different).

    Heat Pump = warm air for longer periods. Furnace = hot air for shorter periods.
     

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