Having your furnace break is one of the worst things that can happen in the winter, especially if you live in a cold climate with sub-zero temperatures.
One Ohio homeowner posted on Reddit that their 10-year-old furnace died because of a bad electric starter, requiring a costly repair.
"I'm considering whether I should use this as an 'opportunity' to move to a heat pump system," the homeowner wrote.
This is an excellent time to consider such an upgrade because heat pumps can save you hundreds of dollars annually.
Heat pumps offer cutting-edge heating and cooling technology that benefits your budget and the environment.
They use compressed and decompressed refrigerant to move heat between the interior and exterior of a home based on the weather. They're far more energy-efficient than gas furnaces and help families be more resilient to extreme weather events that are becoming more common on our overheating planet.
Yet the OP wondered if a heat pump was a smart choice for their 115-year-old house in Ohio, which is 2,100 square feet and has three levels.
They asked r/heatpumps followers, "What considerations do I need to weigh? Is there a quick and rough way to compare upfront and annual operating costs of the two systems (gas and HP)?"
Fortunately, there are objective resources to compare these costs beyond the marketing campaigns of companies that sell them.
🗣️ Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to buy a heat pump?
🔘 Lower energy bills 💰
🔘 Better temperature control 🌡️
🔘 Helping the planet 🌎
🔘 I'd never buy a heat pump 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Rewiring America has free tools to help people navigate available tax incentives through the federal government that make heat pump installation even more affordable. This unbiased electrification nonprofit has developed accessible data and partnerships to help you find local heat pump installation contractors you can trust to do the job right and make home upgrades cheaper.
The OP may want to upgrade to a heat pump before energy-saving rebates and tax credits are potentially unavailable. President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he wants to eliminate climate-friendly subsidies that save homeowners thousands of dollars.
In the comment section, Reddit users offered their advice about heat pumps with the OP.
"Heat pump is the right choice for overall energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and the environment," one Redditor wrote. "A cold climate heat pump could certainly handle your heating needs."
Another Redditor shared their experience, "So far, the heat pump is much better behaved than my old single-stage furnace and AC. It's quieter, blows less, runs more continuously. Less duct creaking noise."
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