Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Switching to a Hybrid system?
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FLYINGDAN
01-16-09, 07:18 AM
Hi All
I'm new to this forum and I'm trying to educate myself as much as possible about my home heating system. I'm looking to upgrade my system for the most efficient, reliable, quiet and quality heat system I can find. So far I know I expect to pay alot, especially since I'm thinking of changing fuel source. Currently I have a Rheem oil burner with forced hot air. The system vents through a power vent on the side of the house. The system is only 7 years old and is working ok. The main reasons for change is the fact it's noisey, dirty and unreliable. I have it serviced every year, I have to other wise something will fail. I thought of getting a chimney which would help with noisy dirty power vent. At a cost of $4000 (wife wants brick) I started looking into alternatives. I plan on staying in this home for a long time, 20+ years, so I want to do it right.
I found out about a Hybrid propane system from Carrier. It uses a heat pump on days that are not super cold, then switches to the furnace for colder days. I live in New Hampshire, so I expect to be using the furnace most of the time. I don't know much about heat pumps, I guess it's like an air conditioner in reverse? Should I expect to see it use about the same amount of electricity as my air conditioner? They told me it is 19 seer so it's very efficient. I think I like propane for the fact that it burns clean and I can use it for other appliances, like a dryer, generator and an on demand tankless water heater ( I have an 80 gal elec right now...ouch.). It looks like Carrier is a reliable company thats been around a long time and makes a quality product. I expect to pay $10-12,000 for the system.
Does anyone have experience with Carrier products? Even better the infinity 96 hybrid system? Are there other comprable systems I should be looking at? Also any pros/cons about my thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Adam
I'm new to this forum and I'm trying to educate myself as much as possible about my home heating system. I'm looking to upgrade my system for the most efficient, reliable, quiet and quality heat system I can find. So far I know I expect to pay alot, especially since I'm thinking of changing fuel source. Currently I have a Rheem oil burner with forced hot air. The system vents through a power vent on the side of the house. The system is only 7 years old and is working ok. The main reasons for change is the fact it's noisey, dirty and unreliable. I have it serviced every year, I have to other wise something will fail. I thought of getting a chimney which would help with noisy dirty power vent. At a cost of $4000 (wife wants brick) I started looking into alternatives. I plan on staying in this home for a long time, 20+ years, so I want to do it right.
I found out about a Hybrid propane system from Carrier. It uses a heat pump on days that are not super cold, then switches to the furnace for colder days. I live in New Hampshire, so I expect to be using the furnace most of the time. I don't know much about heat pumps, I guess it's like an air conditioner in reverse? Should I expect to see it use about the same amount of electricity as my air conditioner? They told me it is 19 seer so it's very efficient. I think I like propane for the fact that it burns clean and I can use it for other appliances, like a dryer, generator and an on demand tankless water heater ( I have an 80 gal elec right now...ouch.). It looks like Carrier is a reliable company thats been around a long time and makes a quality product. I expect to pay $10-12,000 for the system.
Does anyone have experience with Carrier products? Even better the infinity 96 hybrid system? Are there other comprable systems I should be looking at? Also any pros/cons about my thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Adam
SeattlePioneer
01-16-09, 09:58 AM
Personally, I dote on Carrier products. Not because they are necessarily any better than competing manufacturers, but simply because they are the biggest manufacturer of major HVAC products.
That tends to mean that if a repair can fix ANYTHING, he'll be able to fix a Carrier furnace or whatever. It also tends to mean that he's more likely to carry the part you might need to get the furnace working on a cold day in January --- like today! If the repairman has the part you need with him, you get heat today. If not, he may not be able to get the part until Monday, or even later if there's no distributor he can get parts for in your area.
That tends to mean that if a repair can fix ANYTHING, he'll be able to fix a Carrier furnace or whatever. It also tends to mean that he's more likely to carry the part you might need to get the furnace working on a cold day in January --- like today! If the repairman has the part you need with him, you get heat today. If not, he may not be able to get the part until Monday, or even later if there's no distributor he can get parts for in your area.