On a similar note, we went from a single stage heat pump to a much more expensive 3 stage heat pump. I could not see any improvement in electrical use between the year before and after the switch.
The 3 stage runs in low most of the time, making the system a lot quieter but doesn’t seem to be any more efficient.
Before spending money on a new heating/cooling system did you add any insulation to your attic?
Most insulation(especially adding to the attic) will have a two to three year return on investment. Especially if your house was built before 1990.
My 1972 house had 6” of insulation in the attic. I added over a foot. My heating bills went down dramatically.
In addition, I caulked around all windows and exterior doors. I added insulating curtains to block the sun during the day in the summer and to keep the heat in at night in the winter.
I also took off all the exterior wall electrical outlet covers and foamed around those.
Finally, I replaced four out of six exterior doors.
The cumulative effect of all of the above greatly reduced the energy I was using.
My Dad went from an early 80’s vintage 6 SEER heat pump to a 16 SEER updated version ten years back. Total waste of money, his electric bill either remained the same or went up, he never saw any savings from replacing the old unit.
I just updated my 80’s heat pumps to 14 SEER Ameristar units and haven’t had them in long enough to determine any savings.
As for the smart thermostats, not a chance in hell for the HVAC, doors, anything.