natural gas and heat pump

[bekah45]

I live in Lexington, KY and I have natural gas for heat and electricity for air conditioning. My summer time bills are reasonable but my winter bills are outstanding. I was wondering if an electric heat pump would help to offset some of the winter time prices? Gas price = 9.40310 per MCF and Electricity = $.04404 per KWH. If the electric heat pump is the better option, what are the names of some efficient/good heat pumps. Thanks for the help!

[srmfsr]

Just about any 12 SEER or higher and good contractor. Don't go with the lowest price. Not always the best deal.

[Jultzya]

Your nat gas is:

$11.43 per MMBtu (1,000,000 Btu) 80%
$ 9.94 per MMBtu (1,000,000 Btu) 92%

Your electric is:

$12.88 per MMBtu (1,000,000 Btu) Electric Heat

$ 3.90 per MMBtu @ 47 degrees with a COP of 3.3
$ 5.86 per MMBtu @ 17 degrees with a COP of 2.2

A heat pump will save you a nice chunk of change! :)

[gmcd]

Take what you'd spend on a new heating system and then look at the cost of improving your building envelope first- better windows, more insulation, plug air leaks at the envelope, etc. That will reduce heating costs substantially right off the bat and for the life of the house. Then any new heating system is going to be that much smaller to start off with.

[fixer]

I recommend that if you get a new heat pump get the 16 SEER Trane Heat Pump. It is the best in the industry....

[BaldLoonie]

I'd say no more than 12 SEER from a practical standpoint. With those low electric rates, high SEER won't pay you back. If money is no object then these funky expensive 2 stage units are great but don't buy them to pay for themselves.

I was down your way over the weekend. Had a great Italian dinner on the south side, can't remember the name of the joint though. Not a chain.

[Jultzya]

Originally posted by fixer
It is the best in the industry....

That's IF it's installed and set-up properly!

IF not, it's just another train wreck like the rest of them. :D

[BaldLoonie]

Originally posted by fixer
I recommend that if you get a new heat pump get the 16 SEER Trane Heat Pump. It is the best in the industry....

What makes it better than the Carrier Infinity, Lennox HP21, York Affinity 2 stage besides being the noisiest?

[fixer]

Hey John,
I said that to get a reply from you. The Trane is in the running with the ones you named. I just like the Trane better. This is a matter of personal preferance. The Trane even looks better. The 16 SEER is not a 2 speed so it cannot compair to the Lennox HP21. I don't think that HP21 is sold anymore are they???

[BaldLoonie]

The 16i is 2 stage though not 2 speed.

I got confused on my Lennox nomenclature. The XC21 is cooling only, the top 2 stage HP is XP19. The old HP21 had a 2 speed recip didn't it? With our juice rates, we don't get to see the really high end stuff around here.

http://www.lennox.com/res/photos/44383.jpg

[fixer]

Yea the Lennox HP21 has the recep in it. The Trane 16 SEER is a one scroll compressor 1 speed 1 stage. The Trane 19i is the one with 2 compressors in it. I am glad I am a fixer and not an installer. These are heavy units for an old man like me to be installing. I just like a unit with a top on it to keep the ice off the fan in the winter. I know that the louvers on the top can ice over but the fan is always dry.

[Edited by fixer on 09-13-2005 at 09:54 PM]