[Bobalong]

I heat our 3,000 sq ft home with a wood furnace, $250 single axle dump truck, split and dumped on a tarp in my driveway. I stack it myself.

We have a heat pump which means below 20 deg it would run a lot, and being all
electric, never is warm. (unlike gas or oil). Below 20 I switch the H Pump off
go to the grid heat elements. ( have to have something when you're away from home for the day.)

Wood furnace is great heat, tied into my duct work with it;s own blower.
Newer units include a hot water pre heater so ice cold water doesn't go into the water heater.

We are on Vectren energy in So Indiana, some of the highest per kw in the state.

One trick I have learned for a quick fire (works for campfires also) . A handful of
Match Light Charcoal on bottom, kindling and then firewood.
Charcoal lights immediately, and with the help of a old blow dryer that no longer made warm air, I have a HOT fire in 10 minutes.

Our highest bill was about $300 back when it got to zero and single digits
last bill cycle. Most of that was water heater and clothes dryer.

I doubt we will live in this house long enough to pay for a solar system.

[4dblnkldude]

Why not just leave the heat pump on?

[Lemans64]

We heat our house, single level rancher, 1900 sq. ft. from Oct to april with fireplace insert, go thru about 2.5 cord or there abouts. Nice heat, but when we are not home we have electric baseboard heat, that sucks back hydro. Love the wood heat and it's good exercise in spring to fall. I try and burn fir, do to being plentiful in this area and it creates good heat with low ash content.

[cdrookie]

Originally Posted by 4dblnkldude

Why not just leave the heat pump on?

Probably because it'll run constantly and produce very little heat.

[Judge273]

What does this wood furnace look like? Any pix?

[Bobalong]

Click here for pics like mine.
Jensen.


Originally Posted by 4dblnkldude View Post
Why not just leave the heat pump on

Like cdrookie said, below 20 or so heat pumps aren't able to make heat from the
cold ambient air. These units run non stop trying to make heat, so when the inside temp
drops 1-2 degrees below set temp the electric coils come on to boost the temp back to the set temp.

At the end of the day the toaster coils are on a LOT and the heat pump is just running constantly, and in my
opinion, well that's just shortening the life of the compressor for no purpose. Rather save it for air conditioner
life than have it just spin it's wheels in really cold weather.

pics from internet here
https://www.google.com/search?q=jens...Hff3AvQQsAQIJg

[4dblnkldude]

If the heat pump is younger than 15 years old your robbing Peter to pay Paul.

[Bobalong]

Originally Posted by 4dblnkldude

If the heat pump is younger than 15 years old your robbing Peter to pay Paul.

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HVAC is 16 SEER, 7 yr old unit. 3 ton. All exterior walls are 6"

I have owned heat pumps for over 35 years. NEVER have had warm air
flow from a heat pump. There's a difference between a thermostat reading
65-70 deg and the house feeling warm.

When my wood furnace is running everything
in the house is toasty warm, occasionally have to open outside door for 5 minutes, cool things down a bit, (except when it was zero or below)
The duct work gets warm, the ceramic floors are warm, even if the fire goes
out the residual heat keeps everything warm for hours.

I doubt anyone ever has had to do that with an all electric heat pump heated home. If I had to do it over again, I would have opted for LP gas as my
heat pump supplemental rather than electric toaster grid.
Bob

[4dblnkldude]

Your right. I'm just saying when the fires goes out, it doesn't matter whether the heat pump is on or just the toaster. That 3 ton hp should be able to put out 100* air at 30* outside. Feeling warm also depends on the heat pump, I'm toasty warm with mine....115* air coming out of the registers.