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meackerman said:
My heat pump puts out plenty of heat but it takes a couple minutes to reach full heat output.
It can take 10-15 minutes of run time for the system to reach it's best effectiveness and efficiency. This is another reason why systems should be sized and designed to have longer running times.
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we don't have heat strips and keep thinking about having them installed, but could I put a propane heater in instead? I assume the heater would be part of the air handler and not the condenser...? There's a propane line about a foot away from our air handler. System was installed ~2007.
I'm betting our system is a little undersized. after it was installed by the previous owner, he put a 650 sq ft addition on the house.
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My last system (circa 1990) had an LP furnace hooked to the air source HP. When the guy suggested it, I thought he was crazy....after all, heat pumps only have electric back up, or so I spent a lifetime believing. It worked out really well, and i was going to do the same thing in this house (2010) until I saw the tax credit stuff on ground source. So instead I have a ground source HP hooked to my LP furnace. All these words are my way of saying "yes" to the question.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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I know a new system it can be done, is it possible to retrofit my existing system?...instead of installing heat strips.
if its possible, would I want to?
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. - Philip K. Dick
Mark
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I would think you would want to (more below), but it might be best to ask an HVAC guy who deals in your equipment.....I'm fairly certain it could be done, but it would be more of adding a new furnace than anything else (I would think).
It would really be a cost/benefit thing (to me), and some assumptions and simple math would get the answer. You said it doesn't get all that cold around you, and it's quite likely it may not pay out.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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if its 80 or 90% the cost of an entirely new system, it doesn't make sense.
If its $1k, then its not much more than adding the strips.
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. - Philip K. Dick
Mark
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Agreed, but I doubt it would be 80-90% of a new system...but I also think it would be well over $1000.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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Ok payne heat pump , carrier propane furnace.i keep thermostat at 69,and heat pump runs a bit then kicks furnace on for quite some time indoor thermostat stays on 69 doesn't go above it aux. Stays on? It is over 50 degrees outside?
