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Careful_Square1742 t1_j6mkuy6 wrote

Reply to comment by ImpossibleMeatDonut in who recently got a heating oil bill? by lottabigbluewater

depends how you're set up. ducted heat pumps can run down to sub-zero temps. When paired with a condensing gas furnace (LP or natural), the heat pump shuts off and switches to fossil fuel around 20 degrees, meaning heating above 20F is done by the heat pump which is incredibly efficient.

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you're probably thinking of electric resistance heating (like a giant toaster). Those aren't even allowed in VT anymore in commercial buildings under VT Energy Code (except VERY specific cases).

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Unique-Public-8594 t1_j6mmnn4 wrote

Thanks for your response.

Ours has an auxiliary heating coil for colder temps.

It was bitter cold in December but the electric bill was manageable. But also we’ll see what the Jan and Feb cost us. So, so far I’m a fan. I know, people are saying it will be broken and no parts available in 2 years. We’ll see.

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Careful_Square1742 t1_j6mzmi5 wrote

I wouldn't worry too much - I think the people saying it'll die and you can't get parts are the outliers. I've got one in my house going on year 4 with zero issues beyond a loose nut that was making noise. it'll make heat without issue Friday night when it's crazy cold.

I used to be in commercial HVAC and oversaw installation of literally thousands of heat pump systems in VT. we serviced thousands more and maybe had a dozen lemons. that's a pretty good ratio. parts availability since 2020 has been problematic, but that's across the board from cars to refrigerators. it's getting better. overall, heat pumps are pretty reliable if you take care of them.

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ImpossibleMeatDonut t1_j6msam3 wrote

You are right, I was thinking of the electric resistance heating. Thanks for the clarification.

We lived in an apartment that had the electric baseboard heat. For our tiny apartment, we regularly got $250+ electric bills in the winter. There was a lot wrong in that apartment though, including single pane windows.

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