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| Thread ID: 113460 | 2010-10-20 21:41:00 | heat pumps vs log burners | globe (11482) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1146634 | 2010-10-21 04:12:00 | We had a woodburner for 20 years (including the DSIR-designed one made in Wainuiomata whose name escapes me) then changed to a heat pump in April 2006. A very good move. In particular, removal of the woodburner *and woodbasket* gave significant extra floor space. It's also cheaper to run and easier to stop/start. We turn it down to 18° overnight The DSIR woodburner was made in Wainui by Bruger Industries, for some unfathomable reason it was called "The Ugly Duckling". Despite its name it was very efficient, and being lined with ceramic could be run at high temperature. I'm not sure whether they continued using ceramic or whether it was discarded to reduce costs, can't remember. Later it was made in Upper Hutt by a couple of ex-DSIR men and called the PyroClassic and was definitely lined with ceramic. I believe it was better than the Bruger made burner, according to accounts. |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 1146635 | 2010-10-21 04:56:00 | Mrs Hitcher cranks that damn pump up to 28 degrees, rain or shine, day or night and me being a bloke, I have to put up with it or bugger off outside. You can only hide the remote so many times ... Start walking around naked ... be down to 18deg before you know it :D |
SP8's (9836) | ||
| 1146636 | 2010-10-21 05:05:00 | We have both,but log burner preferred 98 % of the time. | Cicero (40) | ||
| 1146637 | 2010-10-21 05:57:00 | We got a wood burner and my parents invested in a heat pump. Give me the wood burner over the heat pump any day! Simple reason around here is cost and you will be suffering in your elctricity bills having a heat pump if not already. Why do I say that? Well obviously your using more electricity but we are in a unique area (king Country) where we have a seperate electricity bill from our Lines bill! Hows that work well lets compare it to have a phone line and toll calls! Toll cals being your Electricity and the Line Rental being fixed in our case to one supplier. Not to bad except that Lines Charge is based upon your power usage during peak times! And that usage YOU use at those times determines the whole years charges, ironically based on the peak 3 hours measured during the coldest 3 months of the year. It sucks because if you want to keep that lines bill down you cannot use the heat pump when they are loading ie 7-10am and 4pm-9pm! Yep the coldest times of the day you want to! Otherwise you get stung for the rest of the year. So hey it costs a few cents per hour yes! Erm not once the demand bill is calculated then you get stung massively our demand bill is 1.08kw hour my parents weighs in a 2.4w with controlled usage! Our friends were assesd as 3.9 with an uncontrolled use. The differance between use and them $83 per month thats $1000 per year on top of any electricity they use. After doing the maths paying $1k for firewood and having a wetback makes a lot more sense! Should add! Whats the good of a Heat Pump during a good ole southerly storm when the power lines go down!!! |
coldfront (15814) | ||
| 1146638 | 2010-10-21 06:36:00 | Anyone had sex in front of a heatpump? As it so happens, i haven't, BUT I will say open fires should be banned as having a spark shoot out and land between the cheeks is not fun. |
Morgenmuffel (187) | ||
| 1146639 | 2010-10-21 07:05:00 | There is no shortage of good clean and free firewood out there if you look for it. We collect pallets in summer and cut them up with a cheap skilsaw with tungsten tipped blade. It takes no longer than dealing with tree wood and is clean and bark/insect free as well. Most places can't give away their used pallets in summer, they only go quickly in winter. A truckie I knew in England was asked to dispose of a couple of hundred pallets. He was very happy to oblige as they were worth quite a bit of money and he made around a thousand pound. |
mikebartnz (21) | ||
| 1146640 | 2010-10-21 07:11:00 | We do not miss stacking, chopping, and carting firewood inside, or the mess from chips, bark etc across the carpet. Neither do we miss the mess caused by ash, smoke etc, and I bet our downwind neighbours don't miss the swirling smoke from a southerly. We don't have to pay for chimney cleaning (mind you, the chimney in our former house fell down in the earthquake, so it won't need cleaning any more). Same here. We love the instant heat and convenience of our heat pump. The log burner still is in the room - unused. If you have a cheap source of wood and do not mind stacking, carrying, cleaning, stay with the log burner. Otherwise go for a heat pump - if you have the $$ to install it. |
Strommer (42) | ||
| 1146641 | 2010-10-21 07:25:00 | My inlaws went to heat pump as they were getting too old for the work with the log burner, and regret every day. They say even with the heat turned up it is never as warm as the log burner. Especially so when they were cold after the earthquake as they had no electricity. | supergran (108) | ||
| 1146642 | 2010-10-21 07:49:00 | They say even with the heat turned up it is never as warm as the log burner. The heat pump must have a lower Kw rating than what is needed, or perhaps it was not installed properly. I had three companies give quotes and I spoke with each, asking them various questions. Only one guy came across as knowledgeable and he was the only one who advised a floor mounted heat pump rather than wall mounted. We have no bothersome drafts and even if we set it on the lowest and most economical setting it heats up our living space within several minutes; we have an old home with only ceiling insulation. BTW, the company we chose have certified air conditioning / refrigeration specialists; in other words they know what they are doing whereas others (even those connected to large nation wide stores) can often get the installation wrong. |
Strommer (42) | ||
| 1146643 | 2010-10-21 08:40:00 | While your frothing at the bit rushing out to get Clean Heatpumps! Have a thought for a moment! Is it really Clean and Green and cheap to run? Yes it is at your house for now!!! But further down the chain in requires more power generation and wheres that power generated? Cheaper not for long the cost of power will go up to cover the upgrading of the powerlines to cope with the demand load on them at peak times . Hence the business model used in the King country is going to become widespread . Ironic got a hydro power station a few ks from here and yet the highest electricity bills in the country . If they dont upgrade the lines then your going to get cold . Then again carry on those of us with wood burners will have less demand on the wood piles from supplys . And be warm! So really you need both! Not much cheaper or efficant though . |
coldfront (15814) | ||
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