Do heat pumps replace a furnace?

Question

Currently, my house has a forced air heating system being run off a furnace that's in a 4-foot crawl space. The cooling is through in-wall AC units. I'm a little nervous about carbon monoxide spreading, both under the house through the open area crawl, or through the forced-air ducts. I'm looking into getting a heat pump. If I also get an electric tankless water heater for my hot water needs, will I still have a need for the furnace or can I remove or disable it? Also, I read the existing duct work can be used for the heat, but is it really efficient to have the cool air coming out of the floor also?

Thanks.

Answer 1

The heat pump plus suplemental Electric heating would replace the existing furnace it you want to get rid of combustion heating all to-gether.

Most forced-air heat/cooling systems have the air coming out of floor vents. If the forced air heating/cooling system is sized and balanced correctly, it should work quite effectively. Leaving the forced air system fan set to continuous keeps the air temperature more even and less tenperature swings.

I do not know where you are located, but forced air heating/cooling systems are predominently used in Canada. Most have the vents in the floor and do a fine job of heating and cooling.

You will have to upgrade your Electric Service if it does not have enough capacity. You will likely require a 200 amp service (Canada and U.S.A)

The existing should fine.

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Selecting contractors:

1/ Look up local contractors first. work out form the closest
to your location. If some you trust has had work done
similar to yours, ask them about the contractor they
used. If they were completely satisfied with their
contractor(s), ask for their telephone number.

2/ Select at least 5 your are interested

3/ Do a google/yahoo search on each of the contractors
you are interested in; look for praises (check who is
writing the praises to see if they have any connection to
the contractor work in groups> google/yahoo search the people giving
the praise or references)

4/ When you are satisfied with at least 3 contractors per job,
have the give you written estimates with details of work
to be done, terms, guarantee(s), cost of extras (how
much do they charge if they find something not covered
by the contract), paymant schedules if necessary and
whatever else you can think of to protect yourself.

5/ If the contractor tries to pressure you into signing the
contract immediately with a high deposit (more than
15%) reject that contractor. Be careful, high pressure
can be someone who sounds very convincing, but has
many reasons why you should sign on the dotted line
NOW.

6/ It is always good to have another adult with you when a
contractor inspects the work to be done.

7/ If you do not get at least 3 written estimates signed by the contractor - not you (do not sign yet) , go back to 1. repeat until you get written estimates signed by the contractor - not you (do not sign yet).

Read the estimates over with some who has some knowledge of the work that has to be done.

This may take longer than you thought; do not rush into it. Research, resaerch research, helps.

When you are ready choose by bein informed.

Good Luck

Answer 2

CO..have your furnace inspected anually and install CO detectors in your house and you will be fine. If it's inefficient and you just want to replace, yes a heat pump will take the place of your gas furnace. A new heat pump system will consist of the heat pump compressor unit itself and an air handler with backup electric heat strips. If you have very cold winters, I would not install a heat pump. In extreme cold, heat pumps have a hard time generating heat and will rely on the backup electric heat strips in the blower, which are very costly to operate. Your best bet is probably a heat pump with gas backup. You get the best of both worlds there.

Answer 3

I dunno. A heat pump doesn't heat well if the temps fall below 45 degrees. You will be running on the electric back up too much in your cold winters. Electric is expensive. I have to admit not having oil for a long time I don't know how the current price compares. But above that temp. it is the cheapest form of heat. So you have to balance out the two. So it seems to me it depends on how much you can heat the house with the wood stove when the weather is very cold. Good Luck.