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| Thread ID: 121726 | 2011-11-09 07:16:00 | Are Heat pumps really economical? | mzee (3324) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1242657 | 2011-11-09 22:54:00 | Another minor point i thought I'd mention. If you buy heat pump you WILL end up using it in summer to cool the house which is something a heater is never used for. T Oh no you won't. My mum did it once, decided it was more expensive for cooling and never did it again. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 1242658 | 2011-11-09 23:11:00 | Totally agree regards heat pumps. We got one of the larger Daikin units in our lounge which is a large open plan leading into the kitchen and dining area. Before the heat pump we had a portable gas heater, pumped out a lot of heat but very little of it flowed through to the kitchen and further. And the moisture build up......well, anyone who has used gas will know what I am talking about. We stalled on getting a heat pump for a while, partly owing to some of the horror stories of people complaining of power bills in the hundreds per month. When we did bite the bullet and installed it, cut our heating bill in half straight away. Very quick to warm the lounge and as it is floor mounted with no obstructions, doesn't take long for the warm air on a low fan setting to be pushed through to the kitchen and as it warms, we open up the kitchen a little and it takes the chill off the rest of the house. We played with the temp settings and as required verse 24/7. The installer suggested 22, we have it set at I think 18 which is just nice for us. Some people swear by the 24/7 idea but we have gone with the when at home we use it, we will leave it on if we plan not being out very long, makes a big difference to our bill between as required verse 24/7. We have never used it in summer though so don't know what it would be like for cooling. |
PinoyKiw (9675) | ||
| 1242659 | 2011-11-09 23:36:00 | before hp we paid like $280 for power now 100 less if two heater we seen up to 500. For us warmer than one heater too. we prob use heaters or the pump for say 6 hrs per day in the winters. | Nomad (952) | ||
| 1242660 | 2011-11-09 23:37:00 | in Wellington so more bearable never used in summer. We set 24 when really cold like 27 lol. rare though. Its warm but not as not as a heater if u want real heat like 30 anc walk around in shorts t shirts..... | Nomad (952) | ||
| 1242661 | 2011-11-10 00:15:00 | I had a Mitsubishi one installed about 2 months ago and the word Heat pump is not mentioned anywhere. As these things heat and cool the term should be air conditioning which is what it's call in the user manual.. Haven't had it long enough to do a cost comparison though.. |
paulw (1826) | ||
| 1242662 | 2011-11-10 01:16:00 | I can see no evidence of a seized pump. The agent was very quick to make a diagnosis after he had suspected a faulty start capacitor which I tested and found to be Ok. I think it could be a switching problem as if the pump was seized it would buzz and probably trip the circuit breaker. They will have an agenda to sell me a new one. I think I may get a second opinion from a neutral repair shop. | mzee (3324) | ||
| 1242663 | 2011-11-10 04:30:00 | Consumer says 10-15 years expected lifespan | PPp (9511) | ||
| 1242664 | 2011-11-10 05:16:00 | Heat pumps are trying to heat a whole room to some set temperature as BBC says, whereas a bar heater is radiant heat and so mainly heats whatever is in front of it (including air which rises upwards towards the ceiling), and an oil fin heater is also a radiant heater but possibly less dangerous with small kids around as a bar heater . The fan heaters use convection and tries to heat the air and then move that bit out of the way to heat more air . All heaters are trying to heat the whole room, the only differences lie in their means of generating the heat and the efficiency with which they circulate it . It is correct to say that both bar and oil fin heaters are radiant, but their primary heating mode for large areas is in fact convection i . e the movement of hot air upwards and cold air down to produce a convection current . Fan heaters also have an element of convection, because ultimately any air they heat will rise and displace cold air downwards, but their primary mechanism is pumping hot air so I guess you could call them fan-assisted convection heaters, which in fact is exactly the same as for heat pumps . The only practical differences between a fan heater and a heat pump are the means by which the heat is generated and the running costs . The fan heater uses electricity to generate both the heating and the distribution, assisted by convection . However the heat pump uses electrically assisted heat pump technology to generate the heat, and electric fan and convection to distribute it, so it is significantly more cost efficient and effective . Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 1242665 | 2011-11-10 07:55:00 | As for running costs, yes if you compare to normal electric heaters, no if you compare with wood burners . I kept a record of all fuel, both wood and (minimal) coal for over a year before getting a heat pump installed . . . If you don't run 24/7 (as often recommended by the seller) and use the timer instead, the heat pump comes out cheaper . I could find the data if you're interested . Use the timer and set it for 30 minutes before getting up, switch it off if you go out for most of the day and set it to come on 30 minutes before you come home . . . we also switch ours off anything up to 2 hours before we go to bed . Why heat the living area of a house when you're in bed keeping warm by other means . . . With a stuffed back, it also saves SWMO (She Who Must Obey . . . for those who are only familiar with SWMBO) from humping wood and coal up the stairs when it's raining, snowing or icy outside . . . not to mention she doesn't have to take the ashes out and dust the house out afterwards . . . this of course, gives her adequate downtime to prepare my favourite meals, get beer from the fridge when requested and basically run around after me . Heatpumps are NOT that economical if run 24/7 and by doing so, the owners often file for bankruptcy after receiving their first power bill . . . get real . . . do you leave your 3 bar heater on all night in the living room ??? |
SP8's (9836) | ||
| 1242666 | 2011-11-10 20:28:00 | Oh no you won't. My mum did it once, decided it was more expensive for cooling and never did it again. Mums are always a special case :) When it's stinking hot and you have A/C sitting there sooner or later you'll at least try it. Most people would anyway. And having tried it, it can very easily become a habit. Will you lay in bed with the cover thrown off trying to sleep and failing because it's too hot, or will you open the door and crank up the A/C for half an hour to take the edge off..... |
dugimodo (138) | ||
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