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Homeowner Forum / Construction / July 2008Heat Pump or Ground Source Heat Pump?
Since I live just north of Seattle, the winter temperature rarely dips below forty degrees. And - since ground source heat pumps are more expensive then regular heat pumps would it make more sense to install a regular heat pump. I have propane heat now and could use that as a backup for cold snaps, but the price of propane is now sky-high. Thanks, RO -- > Since I live just north of Seattle, the winter temperature rarely dips below > forty degrees. And - since ground source heat pumps are more expensive > then regular heat pumps would it make more sense to install a regular heat > pump. ... A good installer can do a payback analysis, but at those minimum air temperatures an air-exchange will be adequate, certainly and unless you have a very ready ground source (like an adequate-sized lake real close to bury an exchange loop in) the payback time will be quite long... -- If you're temps rarely go below 40, then you'd never see the benefit of ground source. air to air works fine down to 35 or so. Propane still $2.09 a gallon here in the mid west. How much is yours? s > Since I live just north of Seattle, the winter temperature rarely dips > below forty degrees. And - since ground source heat pumps are more [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Thanks, > RO Propane here on Whdbey Island is over $3/gal.  SignatureRobert Olin Bob's Water & Septic LLC jolin@whidbey.net > If you're temps rarely go below 40, then you'd never see the benefit of > ground source. air to air works fine down to 35 or so. Propane still [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >> Thanks, >> RO > If you're temps rarely go below 40, then you'd never see the benefit of > ground source. air to air works fine down to 35 or so. Propane still > $2.09 a gallon here in the mid west. How much is yours? In the UK the running cost of a GSHP (COP about 3.5) is a lot less than an ASHP (COP about 2.0) but the capital cost of GSHP does make it expensive to install. You generally get best performance when a heap pump is matched with low temperature heating system such as UFH. The way I look at things, money spent now to reduce my future cost of living is well worth it. I've spent thousands of dollars in the past on things which will reduce my energy bills. Now my electric bill is $30 a month and I have a car which gets 38 mpg. All those things are paid off and I now have a lower cost of living. So I'm *very* glad now I did these things in the past. (Back then people would have told me to invest my money instead of spending it on my energy saving home improvements. Well I'm glad I did not do that!) I would say if it will reduce your future energy expenses and you can afford it, then do all you can now. So the question is how much would a ground source cost to operate monthly? How much would a heat pump cost to operate monthly? Then a new high efficiency gas furnace (propane?) like this... (96% AFUE) http://www.bryant.com/products/furnaces/gas/evolution96.shtml Also new "Energy Star" windows/appliances, adding more insulation, a solar water heater can greatly reduce expenses, etc... "RO" wrote in message > Since I live just north of Seattle, the winter temperature rarely dips > below forty degrees. And - since ground source heat pumps are more [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Thanks, > RO > The way I look at things, money spent now to reduce my future cost of living > is well worth it. [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > > - Show quoted text - Whole house performance before any new heating system. Normally efficiency is less expensice and has a longer life then a new heating systems. After efficieny improvements you can then install a much smaller heating system thus saving $$$. Now your can be comfortable and have low bills. If your do the efficiency correct on the envelope and heating system Geo Thermal will not be recomended as the cost is so high and it is difficult to get an installer to understand the mass flow rates of all the loops. If they do not get them correct your will a very expensive lemon. Andy Whole House Performance is the wright thing to do... |
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