Heat from heat pump (Brookline: motels, cost of, oil)

[pclee1222]

Hey guys,

I found a nice apt in Brookline but the heat is not included.
The heat is through heat pump. I guess this is electric heat.
I am familiar with gas, oil heat and can estimate for winter.
However, I have know clue with electric heat.
Can somebody help me? or give me your 2cents.
The apt is 2 bed around 900sf with newer windows.

Thanks!!!!

[nomore07]

This is what you would see in many motels. Think of a reversible air conditioner, if that makes sense. The efficiency would depend on whether it's a wall unit or centralized. It will be pretty close to the cost of using electric heat.

Heat Pumps

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by pclee1222

Hey guys,

I found a nice apt in Brookline but the heat is not included.
The heat is through heat pump. I guess this is electric heat.
I am familiar with gas, oil heat and can estimate for winter.
However, I have know clue with electric heat.
Can somebody help me? or give me your 2cents.
The apt is 2 bed around 900sf with newer windows.

Heat pumps are generally more expensive than gas or oil heat, but less expensive than conventional electric (resistance) heat.

The air that comes out of the vents is not nearly as warm as furnace-heated air, so that takes some getting used to.

And when the outside air is too cold for the heat pump to work, you revert to more expensive resistance heat, so in the coldest part of winter you'll have the most expensive heat.

Additionally, you should be able to reverse it in summer for air conditioning (I suppose it is possible there is a heat pump that doesn't do a/c but I've never seen one.)