Does anyone know the running/operating cost of heat pumps?

8 years ago

We're looking at a 3 ton system to heat/cool our 1960 sqft 2.5 level, 1900 Colonial, in Metrowest Massachusetts.

Currently have a gas fired furnace - forced air heating and cooling system which isn't very well balanced and has ducts going through valuable floor and and wall space in our space limited kitchen and the baby nursery.

It is not a decision we've yet made and we're exploring possibilities of moving ducting around a bit to get them out of the way but keep the existing system - for the sake of cost saving and not creating more work.

Anyway, back to original question of operating costs.

2.5 floors - top floor - guest use only.

Floor 2 - 3 bedrooms, office passage and bathroom.

Floor 1 - Foyer, living, dining, and kitchen. - trying to add a mudroom 72 sq. ft

Thinking, one 18000 BTU split on ground floor - connected to one unit.

Four 6/7000 BTU units. Two connected to one unit each.

One 12000 BTU unit for top floor - independant unit.

I foresee the cooling running mostly one level at a time, with heating perhaps on two floors but mostly on the ground floor. I am a SAHM with a toddler and 2nd baby due.

Anyone running heat pumps and know on average how it compares to a gas fired heating/cooling system.

House is getting new insulation in all external walls, air sealing and triple glazed windows - if that helps.

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Comments (6)

mike_home
8 years ago
If you post your gas and electric rates a calculation can be done for the operating costs of a furnace versus a heat pump. In most parts of the country natural gas will be cheaper.

Are considering installing 6 mini-splits? That is going to be expensive.
transnationalq
Original Author
8 years ago

Hi mike,

I'm in MA. I've attached our usage and charges as well as the gas rates from National Grid. I'll admit I have trouble understanding the charges here but maybe this exercise will help me with that.

Appreciate your help!
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mike_home
8 years ago
For the electricity it seems you are buying the electricity from another provider. There is delivery charge from National grid for $61.49, and a service charge of $75.71 from another supplier. The average cost for 701 kWh is $0.196 per kWh. That is is expensive. You probably would get a better rate if you bought your electricity from National Grid. National grid also offers other types of billing. You should call them and ask about all the available options.

The gas chart is showing a price of $0.22 per therm. That is very low so I suspect that is only the delivery charge. Are there more details on your bill showing the service charge?
transnationalq
Original Author
8 years ago
Mike, at the moment our rent includes gas charges so we have yet to understand our gas usage and bills for it.

I noticed the delivery charges too but always thought it was part of how NG got the electricity to us. :-/
toadman77
8 years ago
The single head muti spits will be more efficient then the units that have two our more units attached. Research how much power they use and will give you a rough idea what you would use per hour. I have a 18000 btu unit that's rated for 1.54 kw. I'm estimating from the meter that it uses that when it's in the 20s in my area but as it gets colder it uses more. It's max is 2.62 kw.. Anyways you can estimate what your hourly rate is andgo from there.
ionized_gw
8 years ago
The efficiency comparison thing might not be correct. To tell for sure, we would have to know details about how they are tested. I don't know if the methods are fair to compare variable speed equipment as opposed to single speed and if they might in some way favor single head models over multis. Variable speed equipment, for example, tends to be more efficient when run at partial speed than flat out.

Does anyone know the running/operating cost of heat pumps?

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mike_home

transnationalq
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Does anyone know the running/operating cost of heat pumps?

Comments (6)

mike_home

transnationalqOriginal Author

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