Heating in PHX (Phoenix, Miami: house, heat pump, to live)

[leverhead]

Is it really necessary to have a heat source in a house in PHX? I know it can get cold in the winter but is heat really necessary? For those with evap/swamp cooled homes and no a/c units with a heat pump, what do you do for heat?

[Zippyman]

Nightime/winter rates for electricity in the valley are about 1/5 the cost of summer on/peak rates - about a nickel a k/w versus a quarter with aps. So many use electric heat - i wouldn't want to live here without having it available, though if the home is well insulated, you might use the heat sparingly.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by leverhead

Is it really necessary to have a heat source in a house in PHX? I know it can get cold in the winter but is heat really necessary? For those with evap/swamp cooled homes and no a/c units with a heat pump, what do you do for heat?

People with swamp coolers and no A/C piggyback mostly have a furnace, often a gas one if gas service is available. You won't use your heat much, but most do need it, even if it is most often for a short time in the morning to take the chill off. We've had some particularly chilly spells at times the last few winters which required a little more use. Some use small electric room heaters, but those use a lot of power.


I think resale on a house with no heat would be an issue.

[MGS4EVER]

I've lived here 16 years and I don't use my heater. It's never cold enough. I do remember a day many years ago where it was cold out (in the high 20's), but I still didn't turn the heat on. That being said, in the winter sometimes I do hear my neighbors heater on when I leave for work, so obviously it really depends on the household. If I moved to another home that was the same age or newer than my house and it didn't have a heater, I wouldn't think much about it.

[leverhead]

Thanks for the replies.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by observer53

I think resale on a house with no heat would be an issue.

In fact a home without a heating system would be illegal here in the Phoenix area, since the International Residential Code requires heating systems anywhere temperatures are expected to fall below 60 degrees to maintain a 68 degree interior temperature. Since temperatures routinely drop well below 60 degrees on winter nights, you have no choice. This isn't Miami where their winter overnight lows are about the same as our winter daytime highs.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

I would not try to go the winter without heat here. Generally, your indoor temp will be 5-10° higher than the average temp for a given period, so with our normal average temp falling to 54° around Christmas (High 65° Low 43°) you could expect an indoor temp of 59°-64° without heating, no thank you, I need an indoor temp of 70°-75° minimum

[leverhead]

Thanks again for the replies. Interesting about the code regarding heating. I'm personally not concerned about the lower temps but obviously others are.


What gets me is the house I'm in now (built 1983) originally had evap cooling but there was is no heat provision other than a couple of fireplaces.

[BIG CATS]

Heat is a must, unless you like absolutely freezing at night. Its not uncommon for several nights in the winter to reach freezing temps. We tried to run a night w/o heat, and our place got down into the 60s. It was absolutely frigid. Ill say it again, heat is a must.

[elcajones]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

Heat is a must, unless you like absolutely freezing at night. Its not uncommon for several nights in the winter to reach freezing temps. We tried to run a night w/o heat, and our place got down into the 60s. It was absolutely frigid. Ill say it again, heat is a must.

It's the best sleeping weather. I open all my windows for those cold nights. The couple mornings below freezing though, I did hit the heater for 20 min or so before crawling out of bed.