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I can't speak to the specific communities that you mentioned as I live a bit west of that area in Berkeley County, but on the heat pumps - UGH! And yes, they're all too common, it's very expensive heat, and IMO not really appropriate for the area with the low temperatures I've encountered in the last few years. We have two ac/hp units, zoned upstairs/downstairs cooling/heating, for a 2600 sf home.
Fortunately we also have a wood stove insert in our fireplace which we use as our primary heat source, and the thermostat for the heat gets set at 60*F. So, the heat pump is only used if we have to leave town during the winter.
Yeah I really don't understand why people in this area have heat pumps. Problem we have is most of the homes we have looked into do not have fireplaces, and that's kind of a must for us. So we may end up adding one, or at the least adding a wood stove, if we have the room.
Yeah I really don't understand why people in this area have heat pumps. Problem we have is most of the homes we have looked into do not have fireplaces, and that's kind of a must for us. So we may end up adding one, or at the least adding a wood stove, if we have the room.
One of the reasons heat pumps are so common in newer housing is that A/C is a given, so the cost of a separate heating system is avoided. The cost of adding the electric heating strips to a heat pump is relatively minor, as far as initial cost goes.
Operating costs are another matter. Heat pumps become less and less efficient the colder it is, and at some point the electric heating takes over, and it's just like having two or three portable electric heaters for every room. The electric meter spins merrily!
I have a heat pump, but my 2nd fuel source is an oil furnace (no natural gas service where I live). Oil isn't nearly as cheap as it was when we built back in the 70s, but now I only use oil when the outside temperature is below 30 degrees or so.
One of the reasons heat pumps are so common in newer housing is that A/C is a given, so the cost of a separate heating system is avoided. The cost of adding the electric heating strips to a heat pump is relatively minor, as far as initial cost goes.
Operating costs are another matter. Heat pumps become less and less efficient the colder it is, and at some point the electric heating takes over, and it's just like having two or three portable electric heaters for every room. The electric meter spins merrily!
I have a heat pump, but my 2nd fuel source is an oil furnace (no natural gas service where I live). Oil isn't nearly as cheap as it was when we built back in the 70s, but now I only use oil when the outside temperature is below 30 degrees or so.
Yeah that's a good plan and the explanation makes sense. We did the same when we bought an old farmhouse in Mt. Airy 12 years ago to replace the electric baseboard with an oil burner. Even with oil prices sky rocketing we made the right decision.
Yeah I really don't understand why people in this area have heat pumps. Problem we have is most of the homes we have looked into do not have fireplaces, and that's kind of a must for us. So we may end up adding one, or at the least adding a wood stove, if we have the room.
You could also look into a pellet stove, which is cheaper to purchase and install, though since it does need electricity I prefer the wood stove. Ice storms + overhead power lines = no power.
Visited Tuscawilla Hills again yesterday, spoke with another resident for a long time. He said if you "keep up with it" regarding the heat pump, in other words keep the house warm when cold weather is coming, you won't require the axillary heat source to kick in which costs so much to run. Does that make sense?
He also said people heve been there for 30 years and when they move they move to a larger house in the neighborhood. It was hard not to notice the lack of For Sale signs. So maybe my plan has a problem, there may not be homes for sale. Are there other neighborhoods to look at? I contacted a real estate office in CT and they never really got back with me. Business must be good I guess.
Finally is there a liquor store nearby? I priced the liquor at the 7-11 and as expected it was way high.
Ha! Got to love the booze 7-11! I don't believe that there are any other liquor stores, just the two booze 7-11's. I remember there being state ABC stores in WV when I was a kid. I guess that the state privatized them at some point.
As mentioned earlier, I have a two zone heat pump system. And I'd agree ...... that secondary electric heat very rarely kicks on. Maybe once or twice during this past winter did I see that it was running on electric heat. The big complaint from me (and my wife) is that you never feel "warm" with a heat pump. The air coming out of the register always feels cool, even though the thermostat is set to the right temp. In my previous house that had propane heat, the air coming out of the register was warm.
Re: other houses .... two thoughts.
There is a development with new homes being built located off of Huyett Road .... I think the development is called Spruce Hill 2. Huyett Road connects Rt 340 with Summit Point Road, with the intersection to Summit Point Road being close to the Spring Valley development you mentioned earlier.
And, depending on what exactly you're looking for in a home, one place that you might consider exploring is the edge of Ranson along Mildred Street. In Charles Town proper, George St and Washington St intersect in the middle of town (bank, courthouse, post office intersection). Following Washington St towards the casino from that intersection, the quadrant of homes to the right along Mildred St are all historical, awesome and expensive. Hanging a left on Mildred St will take you into the edge of Ranson. This section hasn't been quite as nice as the other side, but it's definitely on the upswing. This might be a place for you to look.
Ha! Got to love the booze 7-11! I don't believe that there are any other liquor stores, just the two booze 7-11's. I remember there being state ABC stores in WV when I was a kid. I guess that the state privatized them at some point.
As mentioned earlier, I have a two zone heat pump system. And I'd agree ...... that secondary electric heat very rarely kicks on. Maybe once or twice during this past winter did I see that it was running on electric heat. The big complaint from me (and my wife) is that you never feel "warm" with a heat pump. The air coming out of the register always feels cool, even though the thermostat is set to the right temp. In my previous house that had propane heat, the air coming out of the register was warm.
...
The liquor stores were "State Stores" until at least the late 60s. According to Wikipedia, they were privatized in 1990. But often they're part of larger stores... I think the Kroger's in Lewisburg carries booze (which doesn't help you in the EP, just an example). MapQuest shows a place called Albert and Arnold's, at 115 W Washington in Charles Town.
And yes, the "warm" air from a heat pump, especially as temperatures drop, doesn't feel very warm. But it's warm enough to keep the thermostat setting. That's how I tell whether if the HP or the oil furnace is running... if the air from the registers is warm, it's running on oil.
And because the HP warm air isn't all that warm when it's cold outside, it has a hard time raising the indoor temperature. HPs don't seem to do very well with a night-time set-back. When it comes time in the morning to raise the temperature, the thermostat sees a large (>2 deg) rise is needed, and switches to the backup (oil in my case) to more quickly increase the temp.
The liquor stores were "State Stores" until at least the late 60s. According to Wikipedia, they were privatized in 1990. ........
And because the HP warm air isn't all that warm when it's cold outside, it has a hard time raising the indoor temperature. HPs don't seem to do very well with a night-time set-back. .....
I grew up in the tip of the Northern Panhandle, and I remember the ABC stores into the early 80's, which is when I moved to northern Virginia to begin working.
I generally set my thermostats to 68 degrees thru the winter and leave them alone. My wife complains because she's cold and my kids continue to wander around the house in gym shorts and t-shirts. I really just try to find the cheapest way to keep most everyone moderately happy!!
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