Hybrid Heating Systems

[hausdok]

Hi All,

Has anyone run into one of these yet?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[inspector57]

Not that brand, but the idea and equipment have been around for years (If I read the highlights correctly)

Makes even more sense now with fuel prices going haywire.

[J Howland]

Upgrade to a air source heat pump and 90% back-up unit can save 22% on energy bills.

There are many reasons for this. One is the utility company will reduce the rate that they charge you for electric if you install one. They can switch you to your back up gas unit during peck load times, this saves every one money. Lots of other incentives, from rebates to tax credits. These units only work well in a energy efficient home.

[energy star]

I have installed many.

[qhinspect]

When I lived in Kenosha, Wisconsin (8 blocks from Lake Michigan) in the late 80's, they offered to give us back $30.00 a year if they can install a small box on your air conditioner. The program was to be able to turn the air conditioners off for one hour during really hot days between the hours of 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. They would get enough people to do it so they can turn the units off in one grid for an hour than move to another grid and do the same. During the three years we were there, they turned our air conditioner off two times yet we got the $30.00 every year.

We never knew that they turned it off until they sent us something saying that they did. Some at the time thought it wasn't worth it but to have basically free cooling of the house for a month or two, depending on the weather, was worth it to me.

[energy star]

The utility won't shut off a heat pump to run a gas furnace. They will turn the a/c off but I have never heard of shutting off a heat pump. It would kinda negate the idea of the whole hybrid system.

[homnspector]

All the installers around are pushing these. I was in the market for new equipment about a year ago, they all tried to sell me hybrid. with propane at over $3 a gallon there was no way it was a good idea, but I couldn't convince them of that. The HVAC guys around here have a hard time converting therms/gallons/BTU/ KWH. I ran the numbers and it was about 1/2 to run off electricity versus propane and about the 3/4 to run the strip heat. With natural gas there may be some savings but not much.

I finally decided on a heat pump with heat strips and am saving about 30% over my old propane/electric equipment from 1996. Course it cost me $10,000 to save $100 per month.