In Maine, heat pumps are proving themselves even against extreme cold

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Recent research by Efficiency Maine makes the case that replacing homes’ entire heating systems with heat pumps can be cost-effective and comfortable, even in Maine’s notoriously cold winters.

“Here, it got 21 below last winter,” said George Hardy, who participated in a pilot program as part of the research. “I was a little worried about the heat pumps, but they held out. They kept us warm.”

As Maine attempts to reach its ambitious goal of going carbon neutral by 2045, home heating is going to be a major problem to solve. More than 60% of the state’s home heating systems burn oil — one of the most carbon-intensive heating fuels — more than any other state.

Maine has made air-source heat pumps a centerpiece of its strategy. Heat pumps pull heat out of the surrounding air, even at cold temperatures, and transfer it into the home. The only fuel they use is the electricity needed to run the pump. Maine has set a goal of installing 100,000 heat pumps by 2025, a target it is well on its way to reaching: In 2021 alone, more than 27,000 new heat pumps came online in the state.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/in-maine-heat-pumps-are-proving-themselves-even-against-extreme-cold/ar-AA15CYyQ

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. I'm willing to consider it....Just have to find a competent installer.

Would love to get off oil.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. I am on the brink of going for it, but

there is so much conflicting information I really don't know what to do.

My BIG question is: are they or aren't they workable/efficient at outdoor temps under 30-35 degrees?

(Most everyone says no, there must be a backup system when it gets too cold.)

[Walleye]

3. I was having problems with mine year before last, actually it's a rented apt

When the weather got really cold, but the landlord replaced it last year with a brand new unit, and the maintenance man said the one I had was 25 years old. The new one works great even in really cold weather nice and toasty. It got down to 6° a couple of nights ago outside. So my experience is the new ones work really well

[SheltieLover]

4. Mine works down to -15.

[3catwoman3]

5. 20 or more years ago, we stayed with some friends...

…who had a heat pump in their house in Virginia. It was winter, but not all that frigid, but I have never been so cold inside a house ever. It was miserable.

Perhaps the technology has improved.

[IbogaProject]

6. At that latitude they should be ground source

Pull the heat out of the ground. A compression cycle needs a temp difference so the ground can work sometimes. Issue is cost, air source are basically reverse air conditioners. Air conditioners don't create cool they just transfer heat very effectively. They move 4 degrees for 1 degree equivalent of electricity.

[marked50]

7. There are generous rebates and tax incentives for heat pumps in the New Inflation Reduction Act

From : https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/heat-pumps/heat-pump-federal-tax-credits-and-state-rebates-a5223992000/

"If you opt to install a heat pump, you’ll be eligible for a federal tax credit for models that achieve the Consortium for Energy Efficiency’s (CEE) highest tier for efficiency.

"This tax credit is good for 30 percent of the total cost of what you paid for your heat pump, including the cost of labor, up to $2,000; and it would be available through the end of 2032.

Beyond the tax incentive, you also could be eligible for up to $1,750 for a heat pump water heater and $8,000 for a heat pump for space heating and cooling. Both incentives would be in the form of a state-administered rebate on any heat pump model. In this case, there are no federal efficiency requirement guidelines beyond the minimum standards required by the Department of Energy. But based on how similar programs have operated in the past, states may implement their own requirements, says Lauren Urbanek, a senior energy policy advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "

There are also rebates for electrical upgrades and installation costs, plus more.

[thatdemguy]

8. I have a 2 year old heat pump, it kind of sucks

It is a higher end variable speed one. Once the temp drops below 25-30 the electric heat strips have to run or the house starts getting cold. And once they start running my electric bill is 450 a month, I used a propane heater last year to make it feel warm in the house and let the heat pump run less. Even with the heat strips on the air coming out of the vents is like 75 degrees when its real cold out. It does great above 35 or so degrees, but even then the air coming out of the vents is only like 78 degrees. So it runs a lot when its cold and because the air coming out of the vents is well under body temp the air feels cold. I wish I could get gas heat here, grew up with it and love it.

I installed a wood stove this year to help out. I just burned wood for the last 2 days and heat pump might have run one hour all weekend, it was great.

[waterwatcher123]

9. Have Had a Geothermal Heat Pump that Has Worked Like a Charm for 20 Yrs.

We installed a cold climate geothermal heat pump 20 yrs ago to save energy and to avoid dealing with propane deliveries in the winter (the propane trucks came dangerously close to hitting our house or would occasionally slide backwards down our driveway while still attached to a 1000 gallon tank). It is without question a nice way to heat a building without propane, natural gas, fuel oil or any of the other fuels that require delivery and combustion as a heating mechanism. The work quite well even at temperatures like the -30 to -50 we get all too often in December and January in Duluth, MN.

It would be interesting to see if the air source heat pumps can keep up in low temperatures without a backup heating element. We also have a backup heating element (10,000 watt) that comes on in an emergency or to boost the temperatures when the heat pump has to catch up to a set temperature (rarely comes unless it gets beyond -20). If the air source heat pumps can not keep pace on extremely cold days, then the backup heaters may put a tremendous strain on the electrical grid during the coldest days (not to mention the electric bill).

The tax incentives available might make it cost effective to consider going all the way to geothermal instead of an air source heat pump.