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Majestic-Feedback541 t1_jcw7cvf wrote

I wouldn't rely on it for the only source.. having the woodstove helps,as long as you can keep your basement (pipes and all) warm too. When it got really cold this year, one apartment of my landlords froze up. That one apartment ONLY has a heat pump. They had to grab a bunch of space heaters for the tenant. And the pipes froze up too.

But, I mean, it's your choice, not mine

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Syrhen OP t1_jcw8ee4 wrote

That's my worry, though if they really do operate at -31 surely I'd be ok? If the power goes out I'm hosed either way and reliant on the stove regardless.

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Accomplished-Bee650 t1_jcwe61e wrote

“Operate at -31” at extremely low efficiency when you need heat the most. Is this really all that hard to understand? I’m an advocate for heat pumps but people don’t seem to understand that they are not miracles of science.

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Majestic-Feedback541 t1_jcwj8g7 wrote

During that cold snap, the one in the apartment did not work. The Landlord had to run out and purchase a bunch of space heaters for tenants and pipes froze. So, no, they don't exactly operate on extreme temps correctly..

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thesilversverker t1_jde368m wrote

They become resistive electric heat around -5/-10.

They work just fine, but costs more. If you hire a joe blow to size and install, and they dont do a schedule J, they might undersize, leading to freeze.

If you've got a cheaper, non-variable $/BTU option, keep it for cold weather. We dont live in the UP tho, they're fine as your primary in maine.

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mainebitch1 t1_jdjbsz8 wrote

Wrong btu output drops massively when you approach the op limits my 36k btu rated to -30 puts out 8k btus at -20.

Try fuckin heating your house @-20 with 8k btus, so many uneducated jackasses in this sub its ridiculous. And i install them for a living

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thesilversverker t1_jdjr3q7 wrote

Why the shit you people talking -30 like it's at all common? Yea, cap drops there, but we might get 8 hours of -30 temps in a decade?

Checked mine - i'm still getting nearly 30k/36k at -15f, the record low point this winter. Which was like maybe 8 hours. Since we expect these temps, any competent installer would size for the realistic scenario.

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mainebitch1 t1_jdklk47 wrote

What kind of an idiot would have back up heat? ^this guy^^^^^^

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