Switch Oil to Heat Pump?

5 years ago

Hi,

Looking for advice from some heating and energy experts. We have an older house approx 2800Sqft that is currently heated by an Oil furnace with radiant water. It's a drafty house with old wooden windows that we're trying to weather in the winter with storms to preserve the classic windows and not spend a fortune on new ones.

The house is located on the Eastern seaboard of Canada (Halifax) where winters can fluctuate substantially day to day from -10C to 5C, with the occasional cold snap into the -20C but they are typically short-lived.

We're doing some major Renos and my contractor is recommending that we switch to two central heat pump units. I get the benefits of AC, but I'm wondering if the efficiency and cost savings of switching off Oil is worth it.

We already have to replace many of the radiators in the house and the piping to them so the upfront cost difference is normal. Im more curious about my YoY cost savings.

Another option is that natural gas is approaching the neighbourhood and I could switch the oil burner to a gas burner in the near future but the timing is TBD.

Any expert advice anyone can share?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

mike_home
5 years ago
Post the prices you currently pay for oil, your electric rate, and the estimated rate for natural gas. Once the numbers are available then a calculation can be done to show the relative costs of a heat pump, and furnaces using oil and gas. Also provide your annual fuel oil costs. This will help estimate the potential savings.
tigerdunes
5 years ago
You have a boiler or a hot air furnace with ductwork. I do not recommend a HP for a poorly insulated home. Without insulation upgrades you will be severely disappointed.

IMO
Related Professionals
Mount Vernon General Contractors · Asheville General Contractors · Concord General Contractors · Woodward General Contractors · Myrtle Beach General Contractors · Marquette General Contractors · Florence Home Remodeling · Elgin Home Remodeling · Amarillo Home Remodeling · Spanish Fork Home Remodeling · Kahului Home Remodeling · Hot Springs Bathroom Remodelers · New Bedford Bathroom Remodelers · Harrisburg Bathroom Remodelers · Burlington Bathroom Remodelers
sktn77a
5 years ago
Notwithstanding modern developments in heat pump technology, they are not well suited to extremely cold environments. They will spend a lot of time using backup electrical resistance heat which is VERY expensive. Stick with oil until you get gas and then switch over to a gas boiler.
mike_home
5 years ago
Depending on the electric rate and the cost of fuel oil, and the type of heat pump, it still may make financial sense to switch to a heat pump. Another option is to leave the current heating system and use it as the back up and emergency heating for the heat pumps. An inverter heat pump should perform well with a -10C (14F) temperature. If your desire is to add cooling, then for a little more money you could upgrade to a heat pump.