Short answer… YES!
With the widespread availability and reasonable cost of the new “minisplit” heat pump units, also called ductless systems, you can now consider converting your old gas, oil or electric forced air furnaces to a NEW WAY OF HEATING… AND COOLING!
A heat pump is able to extract latent heat from the outside ambient air down to about 10ªF. When the temperature drops below that then there are backup heaters that turn on. Heat pumps use a small amount of energy to move heat from one location to another. They are typically used to pull heat out of the OUTSIDE AIR and move it INDOORS (via a refrigerant liquid) to heat a home or office building. In summertime,
In a way, if you know how an air conditioner works, then you already know a lot about how a heat pump works. This is because heat pumps and air conditioners operate in a very similar way.
According to a chart published recently by TACOMA POWER, heating a 1,900 square foot single family home with a HEAT PUMP will cost 50 – 65% LESS than your current furnace costs to operate.
ATTENTION owners of oil or propane furnaces! – you better go take a tranquilizer right now to counteract the shock you will feel when you discover that a heat pump will save you up to 80% of your heating bill!!
And by the way, I almost forgot to say…
With a heat pump you also get SUMMER COOLING thrown in! The pump’s coolant flow can be reversed to cool a building, by transferring indoor heat to the outside. What a deal!
QUESTION – Is there any value to having a HEAT PUMP in a rental unit?
ANSWER – Yes! Savvy renters like to save big bucks on home heating costs and will definitely prefer a rental that has a heat pump (and A/C!) over a rental home that still has an old electric, gas or oil furnace.