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A comment on Heat pumps can't take the cold? Nordics debunk the myth.

Re:Heat pumps can't take the cold? Nordics debunk the myth by UncleOxidant on Wednesday November 01, 2023 @08:26PM (#38107305)
Gas Furnace went out in September so I thought I'd get bids on a heat pump to replace it. All 3 places said I was going to have to have a backup heating system for when the temps go under 35F (!). I was kind of surprised by this. Apparently this is because it's a forced air furnace replacement (as opposed to a mini-split). Others told me that if I got a minisplit they'd be good down to around 0. But since I've already got all that ducting for the air why would I get a minisplit?
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Re:Heat pumps can't take the cold? Nordics debunk the myth by eugmill on Wednesday November 01, 2023 @08:39PM (#38107408)
My mini split works to -13F but at 85% of its normal efficiency once it drops below zero. A lot of Canada is on heat pumps and definitely deal with below zero
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Re:Heat pumps can't take the cold? Nordics debunk the myth by itsoktocry on Saturday November 04, 2023 @08:24PM (#38146686)
But very few Canadian homes are heat pump only.
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Re:Heat pumps can't take the cold? Nordics debunk the myth by toomuchtodo on Wednesday November 01, 2023 @08:32PM (#38107364)
Minisplits are more efficient than ducting because of energy loss from coils to conditioned space (where as minisplit cartridges are typically directly in the room to be conditioned). In renos I've done with minisplits, you seal off the ducting and leave it in place (or if convenient and accessible, remove it, depending on objectives).
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Re:Heat pumps can't take the cold? Nordics debunk the myth by UncleOxidant on Wednesday November 01, 2023 @08:45PM (#38107454)
I have the impression that going mini splits would be a lot more expensive than just a drop in replacement for the NG furnace because you've got coils&fans in every room and the tubing needed for all of them.
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Re:Heat pumps can't take the cold? Nordics debunk the myth by toomuchtodo on Wednesday November 01, 2023 @08:57PM (#38107552)
Just depends on the property, hard to generalize. Running the math both ways is straightforward prior to implementation.
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