I live in the Sierra Foothills NE of Sacramento. I'm at 1900 feet, though
the average elevation is closer to 1500.

I have a GE Executron from 1981 [when the house was built]. At the time,
PG&E offered discounts for "all electric" houses. Over the years those
discounts have evaporated. My impression is that the heat pump works wells
*except* for the three to five winter weeks when the temperature drops below
the balance point of about 38 degrees. Then its a giant electric heater.
From my perspective, the issue is the backup heat. If you can backup with
natural gas or propane, then I think heat pumps are a great deal. From
conversations with neighbors using propane, my energy bills are fairly
comparable during periods above 40 degrees.

Other comments:

* Get a honeywell Chronotherm thermostat. Designed for heat pumps - saw a
positive impact on my bills immediately

* Some people actually don't like the *method* a heat pump uses, a different
consideration than cost. Heat pumps move higher volumes of lower temperature
air and to some this is not comfortable.

YMMV.....

"tflfb" wrote in message
...
What part of the country do you live in?

Are you saving any cooling and heating dollars?

How old of a unit is it, whats the SEER value and the HSPF value?

Did you replace your furnace at the time of heat pump install?

What brand is it?

Are you satified with the results for your dollars spent?

I am considering a heat pump ......my furnace is 10yrs old.. I live in
Nebr,
I am looking at a SEER value of 13 and HSPF value of 8.0 Looking at Maytag
and Trane because of the warranty. Maytag 10 yrs parts and labor, both so
far are in the $3500.00 range, for a 3 ton unit, includeing rebates
$550.00
from the electric company.

Salesman will tell you anything to make a sale, and the ones that estimate
the cost of the job have exactly what I am looking at,......... installed
in there house and they just love it.

Thanks Tom