How many US homes could add heat pumps within today’s winter grid headroom, and how that could lower electric rates and emissions.
  • partial_accumen@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    6 days ago

    My solar PV system was one the reasons I went ahead and ripped out the gas furnace and put in a cold climate heat pump. No amount of solar generation lowered the gas bill, but with the heat pump that is yet another bill that is paid for largely by the panels on the roof. The continued rising costs of gas was another incentive to remove the low efficiency contractor grade gas furnace. In the USA we were also able to take advantage of the tax credit to pay for part of the heat pump installation before trump did away with the credit.

    Can I ask what fuel you’re using to heat your house now? Also do you have AC for cooling in your house already?

    • DevDave@piefed.socialEnglish
      0·
      3 days ago

      A mixture of electric and natural gas. Natural gas to bring the whole house up to ~65F (~18.3c) and then I have electric radiators to make only the areas I am using comfortable.

      That usually trends $120~$150/month in natural gas or around $1000/year. Financing a heat pump + installation could be $170 to $200 month in payments for 15 years.

      I know the price of natural gas is going to sky rocket relatively soon but as Terry Pratchett’s boot theory illustrates, it is expensive being poor.