Could builders market homes without heating systems here in the Phoenix area? (Miami: apartment, home builders)

[Pink Jazz]

The recent thread about those wishing to bring back the heat made me think about this: could builders market homes without heating systems here in the Phoenix area?


While I know Phoenix isn't a tropical paradise like Miami, in past threads, it appears that most users on these forums do not turn on their heating systems and rely solely on blankets. While the sample of users here may not necessarily represent the Phoenix area as a whole, I think this is still a significant portion of the population.

Rather than installing an air conditioner+furnace or a heat pump+air handler, builders could save money by installing an air conditioner+air handler, with no heating whatsoever, to market to those who never turn on their heating system to save money on buying a new home for a feature that they would never use. Does anyone think homes without heating systems would be marketable here in the Phoenix area?

[ElleTea]

Who doesn't use their heat at all and relies solely on blankets? I don't recall anyone saying that.


When I wake up and it is 60 in my place, I turn on the heat. I don't run it for 5 solid months like I did in the Midwest, but it is still necessary.


Not installing a furnace would be silly, even if the a rare person NEVER uses it. Come resale time, it would be a big issue.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

Who doesn't use their heat at all and relies solely on blankets? I don't recall anyone saying that.


When I wake up and it is 60 in my place, I turn on the heat. I don't run it for 5 solid months like I did in the Midwest, but it is still necessary.


Not installing a furnace would be silly, even if the a rare person NEVER uses it. Come resale time, it would be a big issue.

There was this poll I made in the past:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/phoen...y-start-2.html


I understand that this is not a scientific survey, however, it seems to indicate that a significant portion of the population doesn't use their heating systems at all.

[JGMotorsport64]

I've been using mine, my house was 58 this morning!

[KurtAZ]

I really don't think it would be much of a cost savings to the builder...what...$2000? Maybe?

The bigger question is when will new home builders put on solar panels as standard. Or incorporate them into their design of the homes.

[pbenjamin]

There are a few folks here who claim that they never turn on the heat, wear shorts all winter etc., but they are by no means the majority.

[locolife]

People are always full of it when it comes to questions like this, I don't believe anyone who says they never use the heat in Phoenix. Even if they rarely use it, they do turn it on probably more than they remember. People get so focused on the hot weather here it's like winter doesn't even exist. My heat has been on every single winter I've lived here. Apartment or House, Central City or Suburbs. I can deal with it getting down to the low 60's in the house, below that it's downright miserable.

[stevek64]

I could easily live without a heating system here. In about 6 years, we've had our heat on probably only twice, where the mornings got down to the high 20's. Not a save money thing for us as it's dirt cheap to heat(we have a heat pump) but we just don't feel the need for it/comfortable without it 99.999% of the time.

However, I do know people who have their heat on most of the winter here. I've noticed they are often older people. When I go into a house like this, I feel like falling asleep it's so stuffy. Funny how an artificially heated home in the high 60's/70's feels so stuffy vs a similiar natural air temp. But I think the takeaway is builders need to be aware of this demand. Given A/C is standard, I think installing at least a heat pump as standard, which is very efficient here, is a good business decision for builders.

[ajonesaz]

It wouldn't save any money, a heat pump doesn't really have many extra components beyond the regular HVAC. Plus manufacturers would have to make a product without the heat pump, so you would lose volume. In the end, it would cost more.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by stevek64

However, I do know people who have their heat on most of the winter here. I've noticed they are often older people. When I go into a house like this, I feel like falling asleep it's so stuffy. Funny how an artificially heated home in the high 60's/70's feels so stuffy vs a similiar natural air temp. But I think the takeaway is builders need to be aware of this demand. Given A/C is standard, I think installing at least a heat pump as standard, which is very efficient here, is a good business decision for builders.

I know heat pumps are installed by default if there is no gas service, however, it seems that in recent years many tract home builders have returned to using gas furnaces in homes with gas service after experiments with heat pumps in the mid/late 2000s. Perhaps it could be due to customer feedback, since many prefer the quick warmth of a gas furnace.


Custom home builders, on the other hand, will nearly always use heat pumps regardless of gas service availability.