Traditional HVAC vs Heat pump

[jimmy o]

All this talk of HVAC is enlightening. Does anyone have experience with Heat Pump vs Traditional HVAC?

[Bill14564]

All this talk of HVAC is enlightening. Does anyone have experience with Heat Pump vs Traditional HVAC?

HVAC is an abbreviation for heating ventilation and air conditioning, not a particular style of unit. A heat pump is a type of HVAC system.

What are you referring to when you say “traditional HVAC?”

[kkingston57]

All this talk of HVAC is enlightening. Does anyone have experience with Heat Pump vs Traditional HVAC?

? what you mean by traditional. Basically 2 types of all electric AC's. Heat pump and coiled heat. Coiled heat is very costly to run. Fan blows air over a heated coil(like an electric dryer) Heat pump is a reverse cycle AC. Basically it is an AC compressor running in reverse. Heat pump(unless you have gas) is the way to go, unless you do not mind keeping house very cool.

[DonH57]

I prefer a standard split system for cooling and gas furnace for heat over a heat pump. My preference is only based on my past life as a commercial HVAC technician.

[retiredguy123]

If you have natural gas service to your house, you can buy a gas furnace for heat and an electric air conditioner. But, if your house is all electric, your only logical choice is to install a heat pump. Heat pumps work very well in warm climates like Florida. They are not as efficient in colder climates up north. Even if I had access to natural gas in The Villages, I would opt for a heat pump.

[Two Bills]

If you have natural gas service to your house, you can buy a gas furnace for heat and an electric air conditioner. But, if your house is all electric, your only logical choice is to install a heat pump. Heat pumps work very well in warm climates like Florida. They are not as efficient in colder climates up north. Even if I had access to natural gas in The Villages, I would opt for a heat pump.

You have hit the nail on the head.
I live in a small village in UK, and there is no natural gas connections. Oil or electric only.
UK government is phasing out oil and gas, and those types of supply will not be allowed soon in new builds.
We had an Air Source system installed, and went all electric. Government Green subsidy actually paid for installation, about £7000.00
Wonderful in summer and keeps our water heating bill minimal.
Winter is a different story. Our heating bill is enormous, as there is little benefit from the system in cold weather.
Also Ground Heat Pumps and Air Source heating use quite a bit of electricity just to operate.
If I lived in Florida, Air Source would be my choice, it works well in hot conditions, and will minimize electric bill.

[huge-pigeons]

Heat pump no matter what type of furnace you have. Here in Florida, we use heat maybe 5 days a year, whereas we use the cooling cycle at least 200 days a year. The heat pump is much more efficient to run than a standard air conditioner. A heat pump is also more efficient to heat a house than using an electric furnace, much more. I had a 5500sq ft house with 3 heat pumps (new house we built) than was cheaper to operate than a 3600 Sq ft house (also new, 20 miles from the house above) with a natural gas furnace and a typical air conditioner. We used the heat for over 60 days and cooling for over 200 days

[MandoMan]

If you have natural gas service to your house, you can buy a gas furnace for heat and an electric air conditioner. But, if your house is all electric, your only logical choice is to install a heat pump. Heat pumps work very well in warm climates like Florida. They are not as efficient in colder climates up north. Even if I had access to natural gas in The Villages, I would opt for a heat pump.

Heat pumps used to be inefficient in colder climates, but the new ones work just fine and are much cheaper to run than propane heating systems, which I had to use for several decades. There are few places in the U.S. these days where I wouldn’t put in a high quality heat pump rather than an old fashioned heater. Most so-called heat pumps are also used for air conditioning. Even in states like Maine and North Dakota and Washington, air conditioning is often enjoyable. Here in The Villages, my heat pump is on 24/7, but even with the water heater, my electric bill is usually less than $100.

[retiredguy123]

Heat pumps used to be inefficient in colder climates, but the new ones work just fine and are much cheaper to run than propane heating systems, which I had to use for several decades. There are few places in the U.S. these days where I wouldn’t put in a high quality heat pump rather than an old fashioned heater. Most so-called heat pumps are also used for air conditioning. Even in states like Maine and North Dakota and Washington, air conditioning is often enjoyable. Here in The Villages, my heat pump is on 24/7, but even with the water heater, my electric bill is usually less than $100.
There are a lot of factors involved, including the cost of electricity vs the cost of natural gas where you live. Here is a Carrier link explaining some of the factors.

Heat Pump vs. Furnace | What Are the Pros & Cons | Carrier (https://www.carrier.com/residential/en/us/products/furnaces/heat-pump-vs-furnace/#:~:text=Traditionally%2C%20heat%20pumps%20are%20b est,better%20suited%20in%20northern%20locations).

[sail33or]

A Heat Pump "costs" more. A Heat Pump has more parts that can break. A Heat Pump operates at much higher pressure in reverse causing wear/tear on compressor and using more power and many times causing freon leaks at fittings.

A Heat Pump does have higher efficiency over conventional system but does that outweigh everything I mentioned prior?? And it will take you years for that better efficiency to pay for the added initial costs/repairs, etc.

[Michael G.]

A Heat Pump "costs" more. A Heat Pump has more parts that can break. A Heat Pump operates at much higher pressure in reverse causing wear/tear on compressor and using more power and many times causing freon leaks at fittings.



Just another reason to choose a reliable installer
and hopefully get good service when needed.

[jimmy o]

I prefer a standard split system for cooling and gas furnace for heat over a heat pump. My preference is only based on my past life as a commercial HVAC technician.

Thanks to all. I am well aware of what exactly a heat pump is, as I used to have one in a previous house in Chicago. But was wondering if they are worth the extra expense in this area, as it will be mostly just used for cooling. Definitely not worth it in Chicago. Interestingly it actually worked pretty good there until around 30 degrees F. Again, thanks to all who answered. Gives me something to contemplate for next year or 2025 when I will replace old traditional combo system.

[BrianL99]

A Heat Pump "costs" more. A Heat Pump has more parts that can break. A Heat Pump operates at much higher pressure in reverse causing wear/tear on compressor and using more power and many times causing freon leaks at fittings.

A Heat Pump does have higher efficiency over conventional system but does that outweigh everything I mentioned prior?? And it will take you years for that better efficiency to pay for the added initial costs/repairs, etc.

That's one of more inaccurate posts this month.

Heat Pumps are one of the most efficient heating systems out there, even in the frigid North where I live. In most cases, they're 2 or 3 times as efficient as fossil fuel systems and their environmental footprint is significantly better.

[DonH57]

A Heat Pump "costs" more. A Heat Pump has more parts that can break. A Heat Pump operates at much higher pressure in reverse causing wear/tear on compressor and using more power and many times causing freon leaks at fittings.

A Heat Pump does have higher efficiency over conventional system but does that outweigh everything I mentioned prior?? And it will take you years for that better efficiency to pay for the added initial costs/repairs, etc.

Heat pumps do have more components that can fail compared to alternative heat and a/c but all newer refrigerant circuits operate at higher pressures and despite being "environmentally safe" have to be reclaimed and depending on acidity cannot be placed back in service.

[DonH57]

Thanks to all. I am well aware of what exactly a heat pump is, as I used to have one in a previous house in Chicago. But was wondering if they are worth the extra expense in this area, as it will be mostly just used for cooling. Definitely not worth it in Chicago. Interestingly it actually worked pretty good there until around 30 degrees F. Again, thanks to all who answered. Gives me something to contemplate for next year or 2025 when I will replace old traditional combo system.

Our house here was built in 1998. I was so happy to see we have a Trane heat pump with the good ole climatuff compressor. Other than regular coil cleaning, filter changing I've only had to replace the run capacitor twice and compressor contactor once. She's in a good shaded area and here it is 2023. Knock on wood she keeps going!

[dewilson58]

Our house here was built in 1998. I was so happy to see we have a Trane heat pump with the good ole climatuff compressor. Other than regular coil cleaning, filter changing I've only had to replace the run capacitor twice and compressor contactor once. She's in a good shaded area and here it is 2023. Knock on wood she keeps going!

Nothing runs like a Trane. :icon_wink:

[DonH57]

Nothing runs like a Trane. :icon_wink:

Only fall back. After discovering the cheap windows that was built in to the house my load calculation came up one half ton short so yes it struggles but we're still comfortable!🙂

[pokeefe45@aol.com]

The 'Inflation Reduction Act' (and more specifically the 'HEEHRA' part of the bill) passed by Congress last year provides for rebates of up to $8,000 for the purchase and install of an electric heat pump. Program IS funded by Congress, but not set up yet in Florida. Expected to happen by end of Q3.
Understanding The High Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act (HEEHRA) - CleanTechnica (https://cleantechnica.com/2022/09/02/understanding-the-high-efficiency-electric-home-rebate-act-heehra/)
Since our median income in Sumter County is about $83,000-If your income is less than $66,400-you will qualify for the full $8,000. If you make less than 150% of the median income, or less than $124,500 then you qualify to have HALF of the purchase and install covered up to a maximum of $4,000.
Area Median Income Lookup Tool (https://ami-lookup-tool.fanniemae.com/amilookuptool/)
I'd certainly wait for this program to kick in before I purchased anything.

[MidWestIA]

you will almost never run the heat here

[gwenhwalker@yahoo.com]

All this talk of HVAC is enlightening. Does anyone have experience with Heat Pump vs Traditional HVAC?

We had a water to air HVAC in Virginia Beach. Most economical of all since water in ground stays a constant temperature. Does not have to cool 90 degree air. More efficient

[phojo]

I prefer HVAC with a gas furnace over a heat pump. Have had both.

[retiredguy123]

Nothing runs like a Trane. :icon_wink:
I thought their motto was "It's hard to stop a Trane".

But, The Villages stopped selling Trane units many years ago and switched to Carrier.

[Battlebasset]

Bought a new home in Fenny area. We have a heat pump only, for AC and heat, but we also have NG for oven, hot water, and dryer.

Best of all worlds, IMO. Heat pumps make alot of sense in Florida, where you rarely need heat. I had one in NJ, and no way would that have worked without a back up NG gas unit.

Heat pumps are not as efficient if you wait for your house to get cold, and then try to warm it up. Heat pumps heat slower than fossil fuel heat, so after a bit, it will turn on the electric heating strips to speed things up. That is expensive. Better to set the heat pump to hold a constant temperature, vs setting it back at night like you might a fossil fuel system.

As we also have NG, on the rare chilly morning, I will use the range cook top to supplement. Put on a pot of water or a pot of soup and fire up a burner. The house quickly warms up. And no, unless you have asthma or other respiratory concerns, you don't need to worry about having a burner on in a closed up house for a short period of time.

[HJBeck]

All this talk of HVAC is enlightening. Does anyone have experience with Heat Pump vs Traditional HVAC?

Since one needs AC in Florida, it make sense to have a heat pump. Winters never get that cold, to justify a gas furnace in addition. That being said, it’s important to get an efficient model and not a standard 14 SEER unit. My opinion is that the following will give you an idea of what to expect:

14 SEER - so, so performance
16 SEER - ok performance
19 SEER- very good performance
20+ SEER excellent performance

Make sure yo get a 10 year+ warranty (labor as well as equipment). Expect to pay for the performance increases. You will see roughly 5 year pay back on each SEER increase.

[NoMoSno]

Make sure yo get a 10 year+ warranty (labor as well as equipment).
Which companies offer a 10yr+ warranty on labor and parts?

[retiredguy123]

Since one needs AC in Florida, it make sense to have a heat pump. Winters never get that cold, to justify a gas furnace in addition. That being said, it’s important to get an efficient model and not a standard 14 SEER unit. My opinion is that the following will give you an idea of what to expect:

14 SEER - so, so performance
16 SEER - ok performance
19 SEER- very good performance
20+ SEER excellent performance

Make sure yo get a 10 year+ warranty (labor as well as equipment). Expect to pay for the performance increases. You will see roughly 5 year pay back on each SEER increase.
As of this year, SEER 15 is the minimum SEER allowed to be installed in Florida. If you upgrade from SEER 15 to SEER 16, you will not get a 5 year payback, especially if you consider the time value of money in your payback calculation. In my opinion, you will never recover the additional cost. But, it really depends on the initial cost difference.

[rsmurano]

Heat pump are much more efficient that a typical air conditioning unit. More moving parts, sure, but that doesn’t mean they are not reliable.It’s also not true that heat pumps are not good for cold climates. I had a heat pump in the northwest near Canada (cold down to 20 degrees below 0) and my heat pump provided heat efficiency down to 0 degrees by allowing the furnace to only turn on each stage when the temperature drops.
If you really want to save money with a heat pump, get a geothermal heat pump which means burying the supply line deeper in the ground where the temperature is much cooler than the air and the heat pump is more efficient. In the late 80’s, I was considering putting the heat pump supply line in the septic tank to make it more efficient.

[jmsturm]

Both work well. HVAC in Pennsylvania - $235 / month on budget. Heat pump in Florida - $126 / month. Homes about same size. I like my heat pump!

[maistocars]

Heat pumps used to be inefficient in colder climates, but the new ones work just fine and are much cheaper to run than propane heating systems, which I had to use for several decades. There are few places in the U.S. these days where I wouldn’t put in a high quality heat pump rather than an old fashioned heater. Most so-called heat pumps are also used for air conditioning. Even in states like Maine and North Dakota and Washington, air conditioning is often enjoyable. Here in The Villages, my heat pump is on 24/7, but even with the water heater, my electric bill is usually less than $100.
Less than $100? Do you keep your thermostat on high as that sounds almost impossible?

[BrianL99]

[QUOTE=Battlebasset;2221751]

Best of all worlds, IMO. Heat pumps make alot of sense in Florida, where you rarely need heat. I had one in NJ, and no way would that have worked without a back up NG gas unit.

/QUOTE]


That's ridiculous. I have one near Worcester, MA & one in NH. Worcester works perfectly fine all year round. The Electric backup strips ("emergency heat") went one exactly once throughout the winter. The NH house has backup oil heat. It cost less than $200 in fuel to run the backup (house was maintained at 64 degrees), from the time I left for TV in September, through to when I got back to NH in May.

[Battlebasset]

[QUOTE=Battlebasset;2221751]

Best of all worlds, IMO. Heat pumps make alot of sense in Florida, where you rarely need heat. I had one in NJ, and no way would that have worked without a back up NG gas unit.

/QUOTE]


That's ridiculous. I have one near Worcester, MA & one in NH. Worcester works perfectly fine all year round. The Electric backup strips ("emergency heat") went one exactly once throughout the winter. The NH house has backup oil heat. It cost less than $200 in fuel to run the backup (house was maintained at 64 degrees), from the time I left for TV in September, through to when I got back to NH in May.

Glad that was your experience. It wasn't mine. Have a nice day.

[Pairadocs]

I prefer a standard split system for cooling and gas furnace for heat over a heat pump. My preference is only based on my past life as a commercial HVAC technician.

Totally, TOTALLY agree. Although not a professional like you, we've had more than one experience with both types. Standard split of 'traditional" AC unit and gas furnace for heat is far far above in all aspects. Don't know if we will finally one day be denied the use of all natural gas, but until then... no comparison in any aspect, more even heat and cooling, more economical for sure, much longer life to, fewer service or repair issues, just no comparison.

[Pairadocs]

Nothing runs like a Trane. :icon_wink:

So true so true. An ad that was actually the truth, had one 24 years, and was STILL working when we decided to replace it just for the sake of better efficiency !

[Battlebasset]

Totally, TOTALLY agree. Although not a professional like you, we've had more than one experience with both types. Standard split of 'traditional" AC unit and gas furnace for heat is far far above in all aspects. Don't know if we will finally one day be denied the use of all natural gas, but until then... no comparison in any aspect, more even heat and cooling, more economical for sure, much longer life to, fewer service or repair issues, just no comparison.

I agree with this for a northern home. Down here, happy to just have the heat pump. It doesn't get cold enough to justify the expense and maintenance of a gas furnace, IMO.