Heat pumps

[4ever]

I am purchasing a new Landmark and looking at the heat pump option. It seems like it would be nice to have. If you have the heat pumps I would like to know how you like them. Are you satisfied and do you think that it was worth spending the extra dollars? Also, I know that you can save on propane running the heat pump however, we winter in Florida and pay our electric. Not sure how all that would balance out. Really more intrested in their efficiency and what everyone's experience is with them.

Thanks all for you help.

Ted

 

[davebennington]

We have a heat pump on our unit, really like it. This may sound crazy but until a short while we did not know that it switches automatically to the furnace when the outside temp drops below a certain point (around 30 degrees I think) and as the temps increase it switches back to the heat pump. All that said we would opt for the heat pump again.

dave

 

[Rickhansen]

Hi Ted,
While I don't have heat pumps and speak directly to your questions, here are my thoughts.

1. Heat pumps have to be more efficient than the furnace.
2. You don't have to refill the electric every week or so.

I'm sure someone will chime in with their experiences shortly. Meanwhile, have you taken a look at the newly published Heating and Cooling guide on the Heartland Owners site?
Go to Tools => Heartland Owners Manuals => User Guides => Heating and Cooling Guide.

 

[kakampers]

We have dual heat pumps and used them extensively this winter....really saved on propane. We only filled the propane four times since December...don't know exactly what we saved, but know we would have had to fill a tank at least every week if we had not had the heat pumps. We also used our fire place too.

 

[guyc66]

I have a heat pump in the living area unit but for the most part we never use it. Living in South GA we seem to do just fine with a space heater (or two) to keep the interior temps comfortable. I suppose the heat pump would work just as well (or better), but it is also much louder. I turn the HP on a couple of times each winter to make sure it still works but other than that it doesn't get much work.

 

[hoefler]

We wound up wintering in our Mt. Rushmore this last winter in south west Missouri. We don't have the heat pumps, but the electric element. We never ran the furnace, between the 3 space heaters, 2 in the living area and 1 in the basement, and the electric element in the A/C, we stayed very comfortable. Were I'm going with this is, when the temps drop below 30*, the heat pumps don't work well if at all. The elements will work regardless of outside temperatures. We moved into our new house 3 weeks ago and never had to fill one propane bottle, except the one on the grill.