This video is brought to you by Curiosity Stream. Many of us still rely on fossil fuels forÂ
heating our homes, either by burning something like natural gas for heat or by using it toÂ
produce electricity to power space heaters and air conditioners. Typical resistive electricÂ
heat is 100% efficient. For every Watt you put in, you get 1 joule of heat out. However, we have aÂ
solution that could move 3-5x more heat than the electricity we put into it. Heat pumps are anÂ
amazing piece of counter-intuitive technology that can be 300-500% efficient. In the pastÂ
they struggled in more extreme conditions, but things have come a long way since then.Â
How well do heat pumps actually work? And should we be using them everywhere? Let’sÂ
see if we can come to a decision on this. I’m Matt Ferrell … welcome to Undecided. I’m in the process of startingÂ
to build a new net zero home and have been spending way too much time lookingÂ
into getting the most efficient setup I can. The rabbit hole I went down sentÂ
me on a strange path through the world of heat pumps … where I discoveredÂ
some things I didn’t know were an option. Heating and cooling systems are one ofÂ
the largest sources of energy use in most homes around the globe. In Europe, theyÂ
represent 50% of the total energy consumption, with approximately 80% still based onÂ
fossil fuels. Here in the U.S. heating and cooling electricity use is lower atÂ
around 31%, but that’s still substantial, and many homes are still heated directly usingÂ
natural gas and oil. Just the U.S. alone is producing about 441 million tons of carbon dioxideÂ
annually just from our heating and cooling needs. But what if there was a technologyÂ
that didn’t require fossil fuels … and seemingly breaks the laws of physicsÂ
by producing more heating energy than the electricity put into it?Â
Enter the crazy world of heat pumps. In the world of physics you have somethingÂ
called the conservation of energy. In a nutshell, the energy within a closed system must remainÂ
constant … you can’t create or destroy energy. You can only move it. At a surface level,Â
heat pumps seem to defy this rule because you can get 3-5x more heat energy out of a heatÂ
pump for every kW of electricity you put into it, but it’s not creating heat energy it’s only movingÂ
it. You’re essentially using 1 Watt of electricity to move 3-5 joules of heat. For instance, heatÂ
pumps extract heat from the outside air or ground to heat the inside of a home or office building.Â
They can also operate in reverse to chill your house, just like an air conditioner. They moveÂ
the heat from inside your home back into the ground or outside air. In essence, a heat pumpÂ
is simply a series of heat exchangers, moving hot air out of the house during the cooling cyclesÂ
and hot air into the house during warming cycles. We’ll start by taking a look at howÂ
heat pumps heat and cool our homes, but there are some other interestingÂ
ways we can put heat pumps to work in our everyday lives. We’ll goÂ
through two of those as well. So let’s start with the first area, which I’veÂ
already touched on, heating and cooling your home. The most common type of heat pump usedÂ
for this purpose is air-to-air heat pumps. These pumps are pretty similarÂ
to air conditioning systems, but in order to provide both heatingÂ
and cooling, a reversing valve is used. In heating mode, the outdoor unit blows airÂ
over a refrigerant flowing through tubes, which boils at very low temperatures (theÂ
common fluid used, R134a, has a boiling point of -26.3ÂşC or about -15ÂşF). As the refrigerantÂ
heats up it begins to turn into a vapor. A compressor is used to increase the pressureÂ
and temperature of the refrigerant and vapor. As the vapor moves into the evaporator,Â
it releases heat into the room, which turns the vapor back into aÂ
liquid … and that cycle continues. In cooling mode, it’s basically reversingÂ
the flow of that system. Heat is extracted from the inside of the home, turning theÂ
refrigerant into a vapor, which is compressed and sent outside where the fan blows over theÂ
coils moving the heat into the outside air. Air source heat pumps achieve great efficiencyÂ
levels, with a coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.0 - 4.0. It means that forÂ
every 1 Watt of electricity, 3 to 4 joules of heat is achieved. Comparatively,Â
a high-efficiency boiler powered with oil or gas achieves about 85% … a COP below 1. That’sÂ
actually what I have at home today: a natural gas furnace that’s around 85% efficient. I’m goingÂ
to be changing that soon, but more on that later. Heat pumps are very flexible and can work withÂ
forced air, as well as underfloor or radiator systems, but you may need a larger size radiatorÂ
to ensure that its surface area is large enough for releasing enough heat into the room.Â
And unlike natural gas and oil furnaces, heat pumps are environmentally friendlyÂ
since they don't release any harmful gasses. However, the major challenges for making heatÂ
pumps the mainstream choice are the upfront cost, reduced efficiency in very coldÂ
climates (depending on the technology), and also lack of regulations in some parts ofÂ
the globe. According to Energy Saving Trust, an air source heat pump for a four-bedroomÂ
detached home located in Northern Ireland could annually provide ÂŁ4,300 (about $5,600) in savings and avoid 6.5 tons of CO2 emissionsÂ
when compared to an old (G rated) LPG boiler. Comparatively, in the US, an average homeowner canÂ
save between $815 - $929 per year by replacing an electric furnace and oil boiler with a heat pump.Â
However, if you consider a natural gas boiler, the savings are lower since gas is so cheap,Â
which means a savings of about $200 per year. Although heat pumps are usually a more efficientÂ
alternative to traditional heating systems, they won’t be able to accomplish those high COPsÂ
everywhere. When the ambient temperature drops to -10ÂşC (about 14ÂşF) or lower, the heat pump'sÂ
electric power consumption rate increases to ensure the heat pump's optimal operation.Â
On top of that, at very low temperatures, frost can accumulate over the outdoor coil,Â
which can reduce efficiency. HVAC installers suggest installing a small resistant electricÂ
heater to the system in order to complement the operation of heat pumps in some locations forÂ
the coldest days of the year. In those cases, heat pump systems still come out ahead forÂ
efficiency over the course of a year. The end result is that the savings depend on the locationÂ
and climate of the installation. Some states, particularly in the southeastern part of theÂ
country benefit more than states like Wisconsin. Another type of heat pump is the ground-to-airÂ
heat pump, which I've explored in my Geothermal Heating and Cooling video. I’m actually lookingÂ
into installing one of these in my new home, by the way. I’m building a net-zero, superÂ
efficient house this year, so be sure to subscribe if you want to see videos onÂ
that. One of the assessments performed while planning our HVAC system, estimatedÂ
that our yearly operating costs for heat, air conditioning, and hot water would be aboutÂ
$2,121/year for an air-to-air heat pump system. A geothermal system by comparison wouldÂ
cost us about $1,175 a year to operate. In basic principle, geothermal systemsÂ
work the same way as air-to-air, but a liquid is circulated through tubes deepÂ
into the ground. They’re also highly efficient, with a COP from 3 to 5, but theirÂ
problem is the high upfront cost, which ranges from $10,000 toÂ
$30,000, according to EnergySage, but it can go even higher. It’s mainly due to theÂ
cost of digging or drilling to install the ground loops. These costs increase with deeper holes,Â
tighter spaces and other such considerations. Although they are costly when comparedÂ
to traditional fossil fuel systems, they can save between 25% andÂ
50% on heating and cooling costs. According to the Department of Energy, theyÂ
have a payback period of 5-10 years and can work efficiently basically everywhere since the groundÂ
has lower temperature variations compared to air. Heat pumps aren’t just about spaceÂ
heating and cooling your home. But before getting to those, I'd like to thankÂ
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year for just $14.99. That's an incredible deal. Link is in the description below and thanksÂ
to CuriosityStream, and to all of you, for supporting the channel. So back to two otherÂ
areas where heat pumps are making a difference... They can also be used to generate hot water, especially if you combine it withÂ
your heating and cooling system. They can be integrated into hot water heaters,Â
immersion heaters, and circulation pumps. Standalone heat pump water heatersÂ
are an efficient alternative that can provide considerable electricity savings.Â
While tankless water heaters are popular, they have a long return onÂ
investment of 15 to 18 years, whereas hybrid water heaters have aÂ
return on investment of 4 to 7 years with a life span of about 15 years. In addition,Â
they include a backup electric resistance heater in case the ambient air isn't warm enough toÂ
heat the water to the desired temperature. However, you have to take into consideration whereÂ
they’re installed. They have to be installed in an area of your property where the temperatureÂ
ranges from 40ÂşF - 90ÂşF (4.4ÂşC - 32.2ÂşC), and they require at least 1,000 cubic feetÂ
(28.3 cubic meters) of air space around the water heater to operate to spec. ThisÂ
works out great for a garage installation, but not for installation in a small utilityÂ
closet. Another potential problem, or benefit depending on where they’re installed, is thatÂ
these hybrid heaters extract heat from the ambient air where they’re installed, which makes the roomÂ
colder. That might be something you actually want. They can provide energy savings from $200 toÂ
$600 per year for homeowners. The cost of a 50-gallon tank is about $1,200 and $2,500Â
for an 80-gallon tank, but the prices vary with the size and product quality. InÂ
addition, you can expect to spend about $600 to $800 with labor costs to installÂ
a standalone water heater. However, there may be incentives and rebates where you live,Â
like the federal government’s $300 tax credit. According to the Department of Energy, the averageÂ
heat pump style hot water heater costs roughly $225 per year to operate, compared to $400-800Â
for many traditional tank hot water heaters. According to Energy Star, the average cost ofÂ
running a hybrid electric heat pump water heater for a household of four is $300 per year, comparedÂ
to $600 for standard electric water heaters. The US-based company Rheem produces several modelsÂ
of standalone water heaters which can provide $491 per year in energy savings,Â
qualify for local utility rebates, and are 4x more efficient thanÂ
conventional electric water heaters. Some even come with built-in Wi-Fi to connect to aÂ
smartphone app for more control and tracking use. One of my Patrons, Paul, who runs theÂ
website TinkerTry has documented his experience living with one of these water heaters. Three years ago, my naturalÂ
gas water heater failed. Gladly, I was able to find a Rheem hybridÂ
electric water heater installer who got the replacement price down to about the sameÂ
cost as a new gas heater, using my state's $750 incentive coupon. We were able to ditch ourÂ
basement’s dehumidifier, re-using that same drain line. The occasional fridge-like noise wasn’tÂ
a problem as it's in our unfinished back-area. Using Rheem’s Econet app, I was ableÂ
to figure we've been running at about 195 dollars a year, for electrically heated hot water handling 2.5 showers a day on average, and all our other hot water use. If you’d like to see moreÂ
details about his experience, I’ll include a link in theÂ
description to his website. And finally, the third area whereÂ
heat pumps are gaining some traction, and one that I wasn't aware of until recentlyÂ
is in laundry. Heat pump style clothes dryers, or ventless dryers if we want to be more specific,Â
are becoming more popular. Instead of venting warm, humid air to the outside of the house, whichÂ
is a huge efficiency hit to your entire home, a heat pump dryer runs it through an evaporator toÂ
remove the moisture without losing too much heat. There are some great pros to changing to aÂ
ventless dryer, like nearly silent operation, no need for exterior venting,Â
and much higher efficiency. These heat pump dryers use refrigerant inÂ
condenser coils, making them 28%-50% more energy-efficient than standard dryers,Â
and they can be installed in a closet, placed under a counter, or stacked inÂ
a corner since they don’t need venting. Obviously, there are cons. The big one is thatÂ
these heat pump dryers cost twice as much as traditional dryers. Another is that sinceÂ
they don’t get as hot as a traditional dryer, it can take a little longer to fully dry yourÂ
clothes, but even with the added drying time the overall energy use is still lower. ThatÂ
con kind of comes down to your patience level. Companies like GE and Miele have alreadyÂ
started to sell ventless dryers here in the US. They’re far more common inÂ
Europe. Miele, for example, manufactures several models of heat pumpÂ
dryers that range in price from ÂŁ899 to ÂŁ2,799. GE offers four models with interestingÂ
features, like sensor dry technology that monitors moisture and temperature continuouslyÂ
to avoid wear and tear on your clothes caused by over-drying and inconsistent heat. The pricesÂ
of GE ventless dryers range from $999 to $1419. At the end of the day, the cost per loadÂ
of laundry for a traditional electric dryer can be between $0.53 - $0.55. A gasÂ
dryer comes in around $0.38 - $0.39. And a heat pump dryer spins in aroundÂ
$0.17 - $0.33. While heat pump dryers may cost more upfront, they’ll definitelyÂ
save you money over time … and on that note, they last a much longer time. In some cases theÂ
lifespan is almost double that of a traditional electric or gas dryer. Something toÂ
factor into your decision making. So with these three key areas for homeownersÂ
to adopt heat pumps, how does future adoption look? The global heat pump market is predictedÂ
to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2022 to 2030, with a market value of $67.7 billion in 2021. ButÂ
with new government incentives like tax credits and rebates, this market may grow even faster.Â
Washington, for example, has updated its energy code and became the first state in the U.S. toÂ
require energy-efficient electric heat pumps over traditional furnaces and water heaters. The rulesÂ
apply to new four-story commercial and multifamily residential buildings and starts in July 2022.Â
In most cases, the new rules effectively ban some standard HVAC systems, like natural gas, asÂ
well as less efficient heating systems that use electric resistance. According to a Rocky MountainÂ
Institute analysis, the new required shift toward electric heat pumps could save an estimatedÂ
8.1 million tons of carbon emissions by 2050 (the equivalent of taking nearly 1.6Â
million cars off the road for a year). As I mentioned, I’m building a new net-zeroÂ
home and am definitely getting a heat pump installed for heating and cooling (mostÂ
likely a ground source system), as well as for hot water and our dryer. If poweredÂ
with renewable energy, which they will be, I'm getting solar those heat pumps will be carbon-free … and savingÂ
me money. Heat pumps have an important role to play in our net zero future. I guess you couldÂ
say that I’m all in on heat pumps and think we should heat pump all the things. So stay tuned ifÂ
you want to see how that goes later in the year. So what do you think? Do you think we needÂ
to heat pump all the things? Jump into the comments and let me know. If you likedÂ
this video, be sure to check out one of these videos over here. And thanks to allÂ
of my patrons for your continued support. And thanks to all of you for watching.Â
I’ll see you in the next one.
A better video on Heat pumps by Technology Connections, https://youtu.be/7J52mDjZzto
Just a heads up to all my Massachusetts peeps, I work as a Home performance contractor and they are pushing heat pumps like crazy out here. They have a rebate of up to 10,000$ if you are converting from gas or oil to heat pumps as your primary source of heating/cooling. Check it https://www.masssave.com/en/saving/residential-rebates/heat-pump. Or if you have any questions dm me.
That channel is trash. The guy is constantly just regurgitating marketing material without asking himself if we're fed bullshit. And 95% of the time it's bullshit.
Small nitpick: R-410, not R-134 is the common refrigerant for residential climate control. R-134 is used in cars and refrigeration systems.
Heat pumps are spectacular on paper, and overall still pretty decent in real life. They have a higher failure rate due to the extra components and controls. When making an environmental choice, a slightly shorter lifespan must be figured in due to the CO2 impact of manufacturing the equipment.
Geothermal should be practical, but the economics are really iffy. If you can afford to go geo, you can afford spectacular insulation. Geos do all their shining over air-to-air heat pumps in the the hottest/coldest months. During spring and fall they are still a bit better, but not by a huge margin. If you have a very well insulated home, saving $40 for 4 months of a year can make it really problematic to pay off the 10-15k price premium over the life of the system. Also, they are exotic systems which means repairs are outrageous.
All only my opinions. Others will disagree. I've been an HVAC tech for 26yrs. I've installed and repaired geos for most of that. Since techs who are capable of working on geos are a bit rare, I have worked on A LOT of them. Even acknowledging the inherent sample bias, I do not strongly recommend them even for customers with generous budgets. I personally would not not have a current geo system even if I got it for the exact same price as a medium range conventional system. I would definitely build one myself though if I could get the drilling and ground loop for free. It would be a bit less efficient than an off the shelf, but far more robust.
Air-to-air heatpumps are reasonably ubiquitous in Norway, and I'm pretty sure in the other Nordic countries as well (perhaps not Iceland, they might be all about that geothermal).
I live in Ireland and just built my home with a heat pump and UFH and heat recovery ventilation system. TBH this is standard now in Ireland the last 10 years. I am very happy with my system it's incredibly energy efficient. I can definitely answer more in depth questions than presented here if anyone is curious.
There's an error at 5:05 in this video that is kinda infuriating. It equates -10c to -14F, which is wrong. -10c == +14F. The voiceover gets it right, but the video is wrong.
I'm not just being pedantic, that's a big temperature swing. Lots of places experience long stretches of weather within these ranges. If you live in the bottom half of Minnesota, you might see that and think "a heat pump can heat my home in all but the rarest possible cases" but actually it would be inadequate for large stretches of the winter. Even down in Iowa a heat pump isn't enough to warm an apartment for significant stretches of winter.
Don't get me wrong, fuck burning fossil fuels. Heat pumps should be everywhere. But this video will give the wrong impression of whether they can be an answer to home heating, and it makes me sad that this video has reached half a million views with this statistic in it.
Seriously considering an air-to-air when I buy a house soon.
Not because they are the cheapest or simplest or anything like that, but because that's the way things are going and better to do it now than wait.
House is currently all-electric (no gas), and it's quite small and just for me. It doesn't have any existing plumbed heating, it's all electric storage on the wall and quite old. And soon even gas boilers will be banned in the UK.
I figure if I'm going to have to remove the old stuff, that electricity prices are skyrocketing anyway and there's no system that's going to "profit" to make the money back, I may as well go for a sensible modern electric-powered option in the same direction that everything is going.
If it means having to insulate more, having to drop ÂŁ10k on a system, having to do a large amount of work anyway, and having to make some compromises, far better to just do it and get it over with than throw money away on energy for years while I um and arr about it.
I'd have liked to do an air-water system if there'd been existing water-based heating in the place, and then got some hot water out of it too, but there's not, and to be honest, I'll be heating precisely one room most of the time.
I'm not going to "save" any money on such a system, but if I'm having to change, it just seems sensible to change to something vaguely modern.
The US government is trying to push them here. Many rebates if you buy one over a conventional ac/furnace.
It's funny this video came up, because I just recently bought a heat pump, waiting for it to be installed Friday. And the price was just completely better than replacing the furnace and AC it wasn't even much of a decision between the two.
The technology is definitely getting much more prevalent here and spreading. Especially with the advances in the variable speed inverter technology, it's an obvious choice for most places, and for people afraid of cold snaps in the winter, you can buy a dual-fuel setup, but they really aren't needed 99% of the time.