“Heat pump below 40 degrees cant get it done”
True, and NY City AVERAGES something like 33 degrees in winter. So backup systems kick-in, which are essentially giant toasters in each unit that use 3 times the power of heat pumps for the same heat.
Same happens here in Texas in cold snaps which driver power usage above even our hot summers. Lots of electric heating, most of it toaster-only, with nearly EVERY modern apartment using toaster-only heating (and water heating). We paid the price for that 2 years ago, and will likely be paying that price again and again, sooner than later.
Even being in Florida we don’t like the heat cost. Florida designs with cooling from ceiling, cold air falls, doesn’t work with heat from same ducts. So we use a few ‘hvac controlled’ space heaters that will heat from the floor for the few weeks a year we need it. hvac controls prevent cool and heat from every both running at the same time.