# Heat pump went out at a bad time of the year.



## Robert59 (Jan 29, 2021)

My heat pump went out at a very bad time of the year when the temp last night was 25 degrees. Hate to see what the cost of fixing it will be, Electric heat pump is cheap here in Tennessee to run. Costs me about 100.00 dollars a month in the city limits. If I have to replace it I might switch to natural gas because it a lot better heat.


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## HoneyNut (Jan 29, 2021)

Oh I'm sorry, hope you did not get too cold last night!  And I hope it will turn out to be a small repair.


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## Jules (Jan 29, 2021)

What a time for this to happen.  Hope it end up being a minor problem.


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## Kathleen’s Place (Jan 29, 2021)

Oh dear...that’s not a Martha Stewart “Good Thing!”  Praying it’s a cheap fix...and a QUICK one!!!


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## Lee (Jan 29, 2021)

Sorry to hear this Robert, hopefully they will get to you soon as it is an emergency. If you do have to replace rather than repair an electric furnace is cheaper, about half the cost of a gas furnace. But any saving in the initial cost is taken up in higher bills to run electric. Here at least in Ontario. 

I am double protected, gas furnace and also a gas fireplace which runs on battery. Actually the furnace is seldom on, the fireplace heats the whole place nicely.


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## Chet (Jan 29, 2021)

My home is all electric with baseboard heat. No moving parts and lasts forever.


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## Pecos (Jan 29, 2021)

Robert59 said:


> My heat pump went out at a very bad time of the year when the temp last night was 25 degrees. Hate to see what the cost of fixing it will be, Electric heat pump is cheap here in Tennessee to run. Costs me about 100.00 dollars a month in the city limits. If I have to replace it I might switch to natural gas because it a lot better heat.


I hear you on this one. We had a heat pump in Northern Va, and it went out several times during the 7 years we lived there. I think that they work fine in warmer climates, but in areas that can get pretty cold, you are probably better off with a gas heating system. My wallet always took a hit when I had to get ours repaired.

We live in South Carolina now, and I do not miss that heat pump at all.


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## Robert59 (Jan 29, 2021)

My unit is a Tran and it's a 2004 model year and it's a two ton unit. Do have electric heat which works. I'm shopping around for the best deal. One estimate so far is for gas/air conditioning is 4500.00 dollars


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## debodun (Jan 29, 2021)

Things seem to go belly-up at the worst time - just when you ned them. Funny you mentioned this because a woman that usually comes to the weekday Bible study couldn't his week because she was waiting for a repairman to fix her furnace heat pump.


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## Robert59 (Feb 5, 2021)

Did you know Goodman sells to public? Would you install your own heating and cooling system? 

https://askinglot.com/does-goodman-sell-to-the-public


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## Keesha (Feb 5, 2021)

Do heat pumps fail often?


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## Phoenix (Feb 5, 2021)

Keesha said:


> Do heat pumps fail often?


My mom's kept working even after blackberry vines grew up into it.


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## Keesha (Feb 6, 2021)

Phoenix said:


> My mom's kept working even after blackberry vines grew up into it.


Thank you.


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## Fyrefox (Feb 6, 2021)

I had to replace a heat pump in a previous house, and it was not a cheap job.  I was told that if you can get ten years out of a heat pump, you’re running about average.  My current house has all electric baseboard heating.  The thermostats can go out, but it’s a cheaper and easier fix.


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## Phoenix (Feb 6, 2021)

Fyrefox said:


> I had to replace a heat pump in a previous house, and it was not a cheap job.  I was told that if you can get ten years out of a heat pump, you’re running about average.  My current house has all electric baseboard heating.  The thermostats can go out, but it’s a cheaper and easier fix.


My mom got 20 years out of her heat pump, and it was still working when she passed away.  The electric baseboard heaters in my house are still working after 45 years.


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## Robert59 (Feb 19, 2021)

Should I replace with gas or electric heat pump here in Tennessee?


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## Chet (Feb 19, 2021)

My next door neighbor got a heat pump installed a few months ago. This being winter, I see the fan constantly running and it is starting to make a little noise.


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## Pecos (Feb 19, 2021)

Robert59 said:


> Should I replace with gas or electric heat pump here in Tennessee?


Given that Tennessee can get mighty cold at times, I would go with a gas.

Given what we are seeing about the power grid in Texas, and that gas furnaces need some electricity to operate, I would hang on to that fireplace if you have one.


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## Lethe200 (Feb 19, 2021)

Also, compounding the problem is that heat pumps are not really effective when the temps drop below freezing. 

Out here in coastal Northern CA, even if one puts in a heat pump, vendors recommend keeping one's gas furnace or electrical heat, as backup. 

No matter whether one believes in climate change being affected by humans or not - the fact remains weather extremes everywhere have become more frequent and more devastating, affecting all of us.


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