At 10:46 PM 9/20/2008, David C. wrote:
>We're thinking of installing a heat pump in the near/medium term (this
>year or next). We live in the north Puget Sound area, so it never gets
>really cold, and the summers are moderate, but July and August can get
>into the high 80s occasionally....
David,
I live on the south eastern coast of VA where the Atlantic Ocean and the
Chesapeake Bay meet. Our summers are typically in the high 80s low 90s
with some 100 thrown in. Winters are usually mild in the low 40s,
occassionally
dipping into the 30s and very seldom into the 20s.
Most of the homes built since the mid 70s have heat pumps. I've lived in
this house since 84 and am on my 3 heat pump. Average life being about
12 years.
You didn't go into the types of heat pumps only the SEERS which do go up
depending on the type. Also within a type there are varying SEERS. The
most common around here is the air to air unit which is what I have. These
work well in the moderate climates, but when the temps get up to over 90 for
a period of time, or below about 45 they can't do good job at heating or
cooling. Currently when we hit the 100s I can barely pull my house below 80,
and in the winter it can't really heat it. So we have to have
additional heating
in the way of electric heating elements in the system. And it gets
quite costly
when them come on for a long period of time. Assuming that you have adiquate
ducting one of these units costs about $2,500 to $3000 in our area to have
the inside and outside units replaced.
Compaired to something like oil or Gas forced hot air, these units feel cold
in the winter. I used to keep my last house about 68-70 in the winter. We
had oil then gas forced hot air heat. When the heat came on, you felt warm!
The vent temps for heat is about 88 deg, and the unit has to more a lot more
air due to the lower temps (than forced hot air). My house is a ranch style
so the ducting is in the attic and the vents are in the ceiling. In the winter
the ceiling is about 84 deg. but the floor is about 60. Hot air rises. :( So
you're feet will freeze and you'll feel cold.
My house is about 1500 sq ft of heated/cooled space and is all electric. On
the "Budget" payment plan my electric bill runs about $217 a month and we
are paying about 8 to 9 cents per KWHr for our electricity.
continued.....
John T. Blair WA4OHZ email: jblair1948@cox.net
Va. Beach, Va
Phone: (757) 495-8229
48 TR1800 48 #4 Midget 65 Morgan 4/4 Series V (B1106)
75 Bricklin SV1 (#0887) 77 Spitfire 71 Saab Sonett III
65 Rambler Classic
Morgan: www.team.net/www/morgan
Bricklin: www.bricklin.org
If you can read this - Thank a teacher!
If you are reading it in English - Thank a Vet!!
_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
Shop-talk mailing list
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/shop-talk
http://www.team.net/archive
|