Heat Pumps and Electric Heating - efficiency of dual fuel heat pumps

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diyplus
08-01-07, 02:25 PM
We live in New Jersey. We are in the process of replacing our existing heat pumps which are about 28 years old. We are thinking about going with dual fuel models with Propane as the backup fossil fuel. However, I've gone to a few sites on-line and I'm not sure that is the most efficient way to go. Does anyone know how to make a good cost efficiency comparison between a standard heat pump which is totally electric and a dual fuel model with Propane? Our electric cost is .134/KWH for electric and 3.07/gal for Propane.

Also, does anyone have any experience with Maytag heat pumps?

Thanks for any input

mattison
08-02-07, 06:12 AM
Copy and paste the link below and do a cost comparison. This will tell you what is the best way to go. It's a great site.

http://www.warmair.net/
diyplus
08-02-07, 08:36 AM
Copy and paste the link below and do a cost comparison. This will tell you what is the best way to go. It's a great site.

http://www.warmair.net/

Thanks for your input.
Actually, I had already seen that site. The problem with it, is that it is comparing an electric heat pump to a Propane burner (not a heat pump). That is not comparing apples to apples. What I want to compare is a total electric heat pump to a dual fuel (propane) backed heat pump. Haven't been able to find that kind of a comparison.

Ed Imeduc
08-04-07, 06:18 PM
Lost here----- What do you mean by electric heat pump to a heatpump??? do you have a Geothermal heat pump????? If not in the ground then you have an electric heatpump. Now that www did compare fuel cost for you. the cost of electric power to LP gas. Thats what you want to compare first. the electric over the Lp gas. Now a heat pump will like give you 3 times more heat for a Kw than just the electric elements say down to about 25o . Below that you have to go to the electric elements and you will get the 3415 Btu per Kw.
You want to look at electric btu's to Lp Gas btu's