antidemoncrat wrote: “When we moved to N Texas in ‘78 the house we bought had all electric heat. A $600/month electric bill during Winter was common. I decided to upgrade my system to a Heat Pump/Propane Furnace combo. Been very happy with the results of that move.”
What the proponents of energy efficient heat pumps don’t mention is that once the temp drops into the teens, the heat pump doesn’t pump, it relies upon heat strips, ie, all electric heat. Heat strips are not efficient. BTW, I’ve got electicity for a/c that used NG for heat.
Standard heat pumps stop working well at about 40 degrees, the mini splits can go about 20 degrees cooler.
“once the temp drops into the teens, the heat pump doesn’t pump, it relies upon heat strips, ie, all electric heat.”
True but there are other options besides electric heat and that’s why we have a propane furnaces as a backup. A heat pump in the Northern US is not practical but the Greeniacs want to force all people to use electric heat and the result is as the article points out. Very expensive.
—”What the proponents of energy efficient heat pumps don’t mention is that once the temp drops into the teens, the heat pump doesn’t pump, it relies upon heat strips, ie, all electric heat”
Back in the 1980s that was true for some low-end HPs.
See reply #37.
Simply check the COP of the heat pump at the temperature in question.