On Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 11:36:18 AM UTC-4, Ralph Mowery wrote:
In article ,
says...

You're correct, of course. Just to verify it, I just looked at the cost
of the eqpt for 3 ton Goodman AC 14 Seer and 3 ton Goodman Heatpump.
Both about $2300 within a hundred bucks of each other, which is nothing
since with installation around here you'd be looking at about 3.5X
that total from the contractor for replacement, a lot more for the
whole thing, ie ducts, for a new home. Heat pumps have gotten more
efficient in recent years too. The problem is the capacity. 3 tons
is 36K BTU, which is what a tiny gas furnace would be, if they even
make them that small. Even a 5 ton system is just 60K, my gas
furnace is twice that. So, the problem becomes sizing them for
colder climates. I guess it takes geothermal to get enough output,
not sure how much even those have. I know is you don't see
heatpump systems of any kind being installed here in the NYC area,
where it's not especially cold, unless it's some
tree hugger doing it outside the norm, cost be damned.






Heat pumps that work out in the air are very good in the areas where I
live. It seldom gets or stays very cold, say below 10 deg F. The heat
pumps work very well to about 25 or 30 deg F outside air temp. In a way
they are over 100% efficient as they put out more heat by transferring
it than just electricity would provide in say baseboard heat.

Around 20 deg F or lower the efficiency drops off and the electric heat
coils or 'emergency' heat comes on. One other thing is that if you
constantly turn the heat up and down, more than about 2 or 3 degreese
the heating coils come on and waste the money.

In areas where it gets below say 20 deg F and stays that way for long
periods of time , the air type heat pumps do not work very well if at
all.

A 2 1/2 or 3 ton heat pump will keep a 2000 sqft house warm with no
problem if it is insulated well in the area where I live.

You're in NC right? Sounds about right. By the time you get to NJ,
they really aren't viable. 3 ton is 36K BTU, my furnace is 120K.
I have a 5 ton AC, which would be 60K BTUS, too small, which is
why they have backup resistance heat and that would come into play
too much here. I wonder where they mostly disappear? North of DC?