Heat pumps can't take the cold? Nordics debunk the myth

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-10-cold-nordics-debunk-myth.html

There is a discussion on Hacker News, but feel free to comment here as well.

35 points · 15 comments · view on lemmy.world

15 Comments

Mojojojo1993@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 2y

Think most people know this is the case. We use heat on pumps. It's not particularly cold but -1.

I have a heat pump and a gas furnace. The furnace is only used if the heat pump isn't able to heat and that's typically around -25c. This keeps me off gas most of the winter.

Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca · -13 pts · 2y (14 replies)

Science proves otherwise...in cold enough temps the heat pump is literally useless and you will need a backup source like electric dor gas/bio fuel.

Mr_Blott@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 2y (13 replies)

Sitting up here in the Alps, winter approaching, laughing at your two-decades-out-of-date ignorance 😂

somedaysoon@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y (2 replies)

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DistractedDev@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 2y (1 reply)

Saving power for even a few extra months still saves money. You can have both a heat pump and a normal gas furnace. They aren't even that expensive. If you have a high heating bill, it could pay itself off in a few years.

somedaysoon@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y

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EclecticDad@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y (6 replies)

I live in NC where a very cold day is +20F and I have to say I do not feel my heat pump keeps my house very warm. Maybe l just have a very high expectation of what a warm house feels like, but based purely on comfort I would not pick a heat pump. My house is only about 7 years old, so maybe the technology has improved since then?

huskypenguin@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 2y (1 reply)

Is your house insulated? Do you have modern windows?

EclecticDad@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y

Yes to both.

Cort@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y (1 reply)

Are you saying it struggles to meet the temp set on the thermostat, or that you/your spouse sets the thermostat too low?

EclecticDad@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y

I am saying the heat pump struggles to keep up with the temp on the thermostat. It runs constantly and cannot maintain the ~70 we have the thermostat set too.

EclecticDad@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y

I will say, it is unseasonably cold the last few days (40's) and my house is comfortably warm. But I cannot imagine going days sub freezing and the heat pump keeping up. But I am a spoiled American.

Mr_Blott@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y

Nothing to do with the heat pump, everything to do with building standards over to last couple of decades

Ildar@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y (1 reply)

it’s just physics, and at sub-zero temperatures the air heat pump simply switches to electricity it’s another matter if your pump uses the ground or a well, then of course it will work at any outside temperature

Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca · 0 pts · 2y

I Should have been more specific about air source..but yes

Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca · 0 pts · 2y

Physics isn't wrong. Ground source is better, but air source won't keep up with multiple days of sub temps