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You are aware that heat pumps lose capacity as the temperature drops and pretty much stop working at all as the outdoor temp nears 5F. Then you are stuck with the electric strip heat and the $600 bill that comes along with it.
Seems like Maine would be a poor fit for heat pumps. Perhaps the draw for people (since it's clearly not the efficiency of the system) is a lower install/conversion cost?
I know Geothermal heat pumps are super efficient and reduce monthly cost, but the up front costs are huge and beyond the means of most.
My employer is an engineering consulting company and oil and gas are about 60% of our business and it's way down. Lots of people have lost their jobs and no one is getting new ones. I still think that lower oil prices are good for the nation overall but it's spooked many people I know and work with. BTW, I am working temporarily in Kuwait and you can see a difference between how crazy people spent a few years ago versus now.
Personally I don't have a problem with well run companies and people who have built careers on expertise making a profit. I don't mind paying $10 more a week in fuel costs - it's not going to make a huge difference in my quality of life. What WILL make a huge difference though is when my husband isn't working - and losing 1/3 of their business is going to affect our lawn care guy and our general contractor and everyone in between a lot worse than paying $10 more a week to fill up their gas tanks.
And by the way, just to make a point - fuel prices have been SIGNIFICANTLY lower for months and months now. Has anyone seen prices for goods go down to reflect this supposedly lower cost of transportation? Speaking of transportation, has anyone seen lower airline ticket prices since fuel costs are so much lower?
Seems like Maine would be a poor fit for heat pumps. Perhaps the draw for people (since it's clearly not the efficiency of the system) is a lower install/conversion cost?
I know Geothermal heat pumps are super efficient and reduce monthly cost, but the up front costs are huge and beyond the means of most.
Yes, Maine would be a bad fit. California is a good fit. Yes Geothermal heat pumps work well but not as good as advertised. The extra upfront costs make it so it will never pay for its self during normal operation during its lifespan and there is a lot of required maintenance.
Yes, Maine would be a bad fit. California is a good fit. Yes Geothermal heat pumps work well but not as good as advertised. The extra upfront costs make it so it will never pay for its self during normal operation during its lifespan and there is a lot of required maintenance.
That's what I thought. I think the costs for Geothermal install are estimated between 20-25K for a 2500 SF home. Yikes! As for regular heat pumps, I've always heard they are best suited for milder climes like, as you suggested, California. I hope Mainers are doing their research before buying one.
Personally I don't have a problem with well run companies and people who have built careers on expertise making a profit. I don't mind paying $10 more a week in fuel costs - it's not going to make a huge difference in my quality of life. What WILL make a huge difference though is when my husband isn't working - and losing 1/3 of their business is going to affect our lawn care guy and our general contractor and everyone in between a lot worse than paying $10 more a week to fill up their gas tanks.
And by the way, just to make a point - fuel prices have been SIGNIFICANTLY lower for months and months now. Has anyone seen prices for goods go down to reflect this supposedly lower cost of transportation? Speaking of transportation, has anyone seen lower airline ticket prices since fuel costs are so much lower?
I didn't think so.
Supposedly airline prices have been dropping a bit due to lower oil prices. I am sure that they are not dropping as much as they could......any opportunity to make a buck.
As for lower costs on other things, I don't see that either.
What IS happening, though, is that there are many, many families who saved $1,000-3,000 (or more) on energy costs last year. If your household income is only $15-20,000, that makes a HUGE difference. It's the difference between wondering how you are going to get through the week, to not having to worry much about that.
(The other thing is that the LIHEAP program, which gives low income people cash vouchers to buy heating oil, has many, many more vouchers to give away. Most winters, the waiting list to get a voucher can be 5-6 months for those who qualify. Last winter, you could get your voucher within a month or two. )
That's what I thought. I think the costs for Geothermal install are estimated between 20-25K for a 2500 SF home. Yikes! As for regular heat pumps, I've always heard they are best suited for milder climes like, as you suggested, California. I hope Mainers are doing their research before buying one.
They have improved the technology significantly. The second generation pumps work well down to zero degrees or so (you do need an additional heat source to supplement the pumps in REALLY cold weather).
I predict that within ten years a quarter or all heating in New England will be by heat pumps. (A big chunk is already being done by wood pellets).
As to how the electricity itself is generated, that can be a mix of things; hopefully the war on coal will abate and it will continue to be part of the mix (off track).
Supposedly airline prices have been dropping a bit due to lower oil prices. I am sure that they are not dropping as much as they could......any opportunity to make a buck.
As for lower costs on other things, I don't see that either.
What IS happening, though, is that there are many, many families who saved $1,000-3,000 (or more) on energy costs last year. If your household income is only $15-20,000, that makes a HUGE difference. It's the difference between wondering how you are going to get through the week, to not having to worry much about that.
(The other thing is that the LIHEAP program, which gives low income people cash vouchers to buy heating oil, has many, many more vouchers to give away. Most winters, the waiting list to get a voucher can be 5-6 months for those who qualify. Last winter, you could get your voucher within a month or two. )
I'd say it's a wash at best - what's good for one family is bad for another. For every family who got vouchers through the LIHEAP program, for instance, there's probably a family that had to go on food stamps or other public assistance due to their loss of income.
I can assure you that airline prices have not gone down by the way. Nor has the price of any other goods I can think of, which is interesting since supposedly transportation costs play a lot into the total price we pay for things. I mean, when gas prices were high and prices were climbing on all sorts of goods and services, the litany I kept hearing was "Well, our costs have increased so much due to the high cost of fuel - we just have to raise prices." Now all I hear is the sound of crickets when I say, "Well, fuel costs have been so much lower for so long now - where's that price reduction?"
They have improved the technology significantly. The second generation pumps work well down to zero degrees or so (you do need an additional heat source to supplement the pumps in REALLY cold weather).
I predict that within ten years a quarter or all heating in New England will be by heat pumps. (A big chunk is already being done by wood pellets).
As to how the electricity itself is generated, that can be a mix of things; hopefully the war on coal will abate and it will continue to be part of the mix (off track).
Natural gas prices ride tandem with oil prices. A huge chunk of electricity is generated by natural gas - in your region as well as nation wide.
When a family switches to "all electric" it doesn't mean they're relying less on fossil fuels at all. All it means is that someone else is using those fossil fuels and the family is just getting one bigger bill instead of two smaller ones.
I just have to say that. I live in an area that's pretty reliant on oil products.
And while I know that prices have been climbing a little bit in recent months, I have to say how glad I am that all the "oil guys" (producers, sellers, traders, etc.) have had MUCH smaller margins over the last couple years. I love the idea that they are no longer making money hand over fist, and I love that my neighbors are keeping that money.
Same as being glad that Walmart is doing bad
Sure, the CEO will lose some money, but the people that take the hit are the ones at the bottom.
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