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definitely a waste of money so it's probably good to decided not to switch. It comes down to a personal "preference." In the future, I recommend someone like you utilizing a hybrid unit that operates as a heat pump down to a certain outdoor enthalpy and then can utilize gas heating below that.
Also, the electric vs gas "cost" up above in this thread seems like the wrong data to start with. I also live in SC and there are no way your rates in Charleston are drastically different enough to represent the costs you showed. A heat pump is more efficient than straight electric strip heating but costs in comparison to natural gas are typically fairly close. Thus, if you look purely at "electric" costs and don't understand how a heat pump works, it APPEARS that natural gas heat is a lot "cheaper" than a heat pump when in reality it may not be. This makes me think you chose "electric" as your heat source and not "heat pump" based on whatever calculator you were using. It would just be extreme to see any sort of 300% cost difference between a decent heat pump and a natural gas furnace. Natural gas furnace and pure "electric" heating, then sure, but not a heat pump.
In reality, without knowing anything more about your house than what you listed in this thread, I would estimate that the cost differential for you to heat those areas with natural gas versus the heat pumps might save you 10-20%. Even on the extreme side, if you had a very poor efficiency heat pump and bought a very high AFUE gas furnace (which should not be the case comparing a new heat pump to a new furnace) you MAY see upwards of 50% savings. In reality, you're probably more in the 10-20% range. And remember costs for things like natural gas or electric can fluctuate. 5 years from now, Natural gas could cost a lot more..you just never know.
I do see that you tried to take that payback into account up above (which is the right approach), but if you were using the 300% difference in your calculation, you were impacting the payback period. Replacing a NEW heat pump with a NEW natural gas furnace would typically have a payback that makes no sense. You made the right call unless you had money to burn. By the way, heat pumps are excellent choices for SC in my professional opinion.
Thanks for the info, very much. I just don't want the aux heat to come on on that heat pump. You know we have some once in a while 35 degree nights here.
Thanks for the info, very much. I just don't want the aux heat to come on on that heat pump. You know we have some once in a while 35 degree nights here.
Wow, if I convert to natural gas with only a 4-year payback period, I'd do it in a heartbeat. (No natural gas where I live, alas.) Then again, I plan to be in my house for another 15-20 years or so.
OP, did the 4-year payback period sound long to you, like longer than you'll be in the house? I'm curious why you changed your mind. (This assumes, of course, that the $3,000 bid is accurate and the system would work fine after the conversion!)
Wow, if I convert to natural gas with only a 4-year payback period, I'd do it in a heartbeat. (No natural gas where I live, alas.) Then again, I plan to be in my house for another 15-20 years or so.
OP, did the 4-year payback period sound long to you, like longer than you'll be in the house? I'm curious why you changed your mind. (This assumes, of course, that the $3,000 bid is accurate and the system would work fine after the conversion!)
I could easily be wrong since I'm just going by rules of thumb for these types of systems, but I would be very surprised if he actually would see a 4-year payback in Charleston for ripping out a brand new heat pump and installing a brand new natural gas furnace. He would have to have a very inefficient heat pump. I would guess a 10 year return. The only way I see it to get any sort of "payback" would be to sell the existing Heat Pumps to someone to cut into the upfront cost of the natural gas burners.
I could easily be wrong since I'm just going by rules of thumb for these types of systems, but I would be very surprised if he actually would see a 4-year payback in Charleston for ripping out a brand new heat pump and installing a brand new natural gas furnace. He would have to have a very inefficient heat pump. I would guess a 10 year return. The only way I see it to get any sort of "payback" would be to sell the existing Heat Pumps to someone to cut into the upfront cost of the natural gas burners.
You are likely correct -- I was just going by one of the OP's posts in which he mentioned a 4-year payback period. But I re-read that post and in the paragraph above where the 4-year payback is mentioned, the OP mentions a 10-year payback ... so now I have no idea what he meant.
Ah, my wife mentioned to me we would only save really 3 months a year , because it is cold here for just 3 months. So, I calculated before using each month, which was wrong. I would actually get the money back in 16 years! I still wish I had all natural gas heat throughout my house, but am sticking with the new Lennox heat pump and air handler, since they are new, and I just can't justify paying $3000.00 to replace brand new equipment.
Ah, my wife mentioned to me we would only save really 3 months a year , because it is cold here for just 3 months. So, I calculated before using each month, which was wrong. I would actually get the money back in 16 years! I still wish I had all natural gas heat throughout my house, but am sticking with the new Lennox heat pump and air handler, since they are new, and I just can't justify paying $3000.00 to replace brand new equipment.
Ah, that makes more sense! The payoff period up where I live would be much shorter since our "cold season" is MUCH longer (and MUCH colder!) and our electric rates are higher. The joys of living in New England.
definitely a waste of money so it's probably good to decided not to switch. It comes down to a personal "preference." In the future, I recommend someone like you utilizing a hybrid unit that operates as a heat pump down to a certain outdoor enthalpy and then can utilize gas heating below that.
Also, the electric vs gas "cost" up above in this thread seems like the wrong data to start with. I also live in SC and there are no way your rates in Charleston are drastically different enough to represent the costs you showed. A heat pump is more efficient than straight electric strip heating but costs in comparison to natural gas are typically fairly close. Thus, if you look purely at "electric" costs and don't understand how a heat pump works, it APPEARS that natural gas heat is a lot "cheaper" than a heat pump when in reality it may not be. This makes me think you chose "electric" as your heat source and not "heat pump" based on whatever calculator you were using. It would just be extreme to see any sort of 300% cost difference between a decent heat pump and a natural gas furnace. Natural gas furnace and pure "electric" heating, then sure, but not a heat pump.
In reality, without knowing anything more about your house than what you listed in this thread, I would estimate that the cost differential for you to heat those areas with natural gas versus the heat pumps might save you 10-20%. Even on the extreme side, if you had a very poor efficiency heat pump and bought a very high AFUE gas furnace (which should not be the case comparing a new heat pump to a new furnace) you MAY see upwards of 50% savings. In reality, you're probably more in the 10-20% range. And remember costs for things like natural gas or electric can fluctuate. 5 years from now, Natural gas could cost a lot more..you just never know.
I do see that you tried to take that payback into account up above (which is the right approach), but if you were using the 300% difference in your calculation, you were impacting the payback period. Replacing a NEW heat pump with a NEW natural gas furnace would typically have a payback that makes no sense. You made the right call unless you had money to burn. By the way, heat pumps are excellent choices for SC in my professional opinion.
Thanks J,
I currently have a new home built in 2013, with gas heat on the 1st floor (zone 1), and they use the heat pump for the second and third floor (zone 2). They said this is the most effecient in SC here where we live. I doubt that and think the builder tried to save money. Anyway, it is a brand new Lennox heat pump, and I prefer the warmth and not need worrying about aux heat on very cold nights with natural gas, but I can't replace a brand new air handler and heat pump for a $3000.00 gas furnace right now. And, yes my calculations were wrong like you said, I counted 12 months of monthly bills, when in reality only three months here in Charleston are cold at night...
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