HVAC - Oil or electric backup for new heat pump? Or oil heat only?
 

Hi,
We live in southeast PA, near Philadelphia. We have a heat pump for
heat and central air, with an oil furnace backup. We need to replace
the heat pump because it has a Freon leak. It's 25 years old, so it's
probably time.

We've had three sales people out, and they each recommend different
options. Should we:

1. Replace the heat pump and add electric backup, eliminating the oil
furnace? Electricity here is about 14.5 cents/kwh, though supposedly
there's a discount for all-electric houses.

2. Replace the heat pump and keep the oil backup? The furnace is also
about 25 years old, but it hasn't run that much because it's backup
only. It tested at 82% efficiency last fall. One rep told me new ones
were about 86-90% efficiency. But another rep told us the old furnace
fan can't be used with a new heat pump.

3. Make the oil furnace our primary heat and just replace the central
air? I do like the feel of hot air coming out of the vents when it's
cold.

Thanks for any insights or suggestions!

"anne in pa" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,
We live in southeast PA, near Philadelphia. We have a heat pump for
heat and central air, with an oil furnace backup. We need to replace
the heat pump because it has a Freon leak. It's 25 years old, so it's
probably time.

We've had three sales people out, and they each recommend different
options. Should we:

1. Replace the heat pump and add electric backup, eliminating the oil
furnace? Electricity here is about 14.5 cents/kwh, though supposedly
there's a discount for all-electric houses.

This is the option I would choose. It eliminates the oil tank, and the
chances of a spill.

2. Replace the heat pump and keep the oil backup? The furnace is also
about 25 years old, but it hasn't run that much because it's backup
only. It tested at 82% efficiency last fall. One rep told me new ones
were about 86-90% efficiency. But another rep told us the old furnace
fan can't be used with a new heat pump.

Depends on how many gallons of oil you use each year, and other associated
costs. If you are using enough oil to make the cost of a new more efficient
furnace worthwhile, you need to consider a more efficient heat pump.

3. Make the oil furnace our primary heat and just replace the central
air? I do like the feel of hot air coming out of the vents when it's
cold.

As the price of heating oil goes up you will enjoy the heat the you get from
your wallet. This will turn out to be an expensive choice.


--
George Eberhardt
(732)224-8988

"This is the option I would choose. It eliminates the oil tank, and
the
chances of a spill. "

Even given the fact that he lives near Philadelphia? I'm in at the
central NJ shore and I don't know anyone here that uses a heat pump.
This area has to be borderline for cost effectiveness.

anne in pa wrote:

We live in southeast PA, near Philadelphia.

Me too.

...Should we:

1. Replace the heat pump and add electric backup, eliminating the oil
furnace? Electricity here is about 14.5 cents/kwh, though supposedly
there's a discount for all-electric houses.

There is... Can you qualify if you keep the old furnace?

2. Replace the heat pump and keep the oil backup? The furnace is also
about 25 years old, but it hasn't run that much because it's backup
only. It tested at 82% efficiency last fall.

Sounds pretty good.

3. Make the oil furnace our primary heat and just replace the central air?

Maybe. With a large lean-to sunspace or "solar siding" over the south wall
of the house, the backup fuel bill may become unimportant.

I do like the feel of hot air coming out of the vents when it's cold.

A sunspace can do that too :-)

Nick

Tired of Iraq? Do something about it. Learn to halve your energy use
while having fun with math and science.

Join PE Drew Gillett and PhD Rich Komp and me for a workshop on Solar House
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Energy Festival on Saturday September 24, 2005 near Allentown. See

http://www.paenergyfest.com/workshop-info.shtml