Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: Tell It Right

I have a heat pump (there is no natural gas where I live, and propane is expensive). It’s just a regular single stage Trane.

It’s capable of keeping my house at 68F when it’s 17F outside without needing the electric aux heat strips. That’s probably because my house is “tight”, not drafty, I made sure of that during construction.


59 posted on 02/10/2025 12:44:34 PM PST by brianl703
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies ]


To: brianl703
I have a variable speed heat pump, which is more efficient than a single-stage or a two-stage heat pump if much if the battle is fighting Alabama heat. But, if I understand it correctly, the heat pumps that are good for really cold weather are not the variable speed ones.

Plus, by having a variable speed air handler too, my HVAC is almost always running, but in low power mode. Thus, any time my hybrid water heater runs (i.e. for 2 to 3 hours after my wife and I take our showers), the water heater produces a free cold air byproduct, which I duct to an intake of my HVAC (during the warm half of the year). Since my HVAC is almost always running, it picks up that free cold air and spreads it around the house, allowing my HVAC to stay in low power mode for longer times of the day.

That, combined with other energy efficiencies in the house like sealing gaps, adding insulation, allows me to hardly need the grid for about 8 months out of the year. In an all-electric house, and charging my EV for 16K miles per year (the home charged miles portion, not counting the other 10K miles we charged while away from home).

So-called "green energy" is stupid for the grid. But it pays to be smart about energy savings that you can take control of, not expecting lying, corrupt bureaucrats to do for you. IMHO, one of the hallmarks of true conservatism is the people figuring out ways to make themselves more self-reliant so that the govt has less ways to control us (by limiting our access to life's necessities, like energy).

67 posted on 02/10/2025 1:11:31 PM PST by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson