Heat Pump Upgrade

[SamSpade]

As some may know, I've been making a few bucks on the side doing tax returns. It doesn't pay great, and I may consider other work after tax season.

But I noticed a change in the tax code relevant to this area. I'd have to look up the specifics, but there's a new credit/deduction (not sure which) for upgrading your heat pump - within certain conditions. Most of these conditions involve minimum levels of efficiency. If anyone's interested, I could look up the details. Pretty sure it is for both of the next two tax years.

THAT being the case - has anyone upgraded their heat pump recently? What are the costs, who did you go to, what kind of benefits did you reap? Right now, our electric bill is *outrageous*, and since it was pretty high even during the month we were GONE - I have to think it has a little to do with us running OLD heat pumps.

Anyone try this?

 

[missperky]

New heat pump put in a few months back.

Electric bill hasn't been as high, as it was previous.

$2200.

Potters Heating and Electric in Waldorf. 301-843-0300

Also make sure your thermostat is up to date, I had to replace mine, since it was 20 degrees off, big difference.

 

[willie]

Windows, insulation, furnaces and a lot of different upgrades are included in the tax change. Anyone with an older gas or oil furnace will come out way ahead by upgrading with the new super efficient models even without the credit.

 

[sweetpea15]

heat pumps

what is considered an old heat pump?

 

[willie]

what is considered an old heat pump?

A current HVAC dealer or even a Google could show you the efficiency improvements each year.

I'm not sure if this applies to something like a heat pump but if an appliance has an energy star rating, there is no Maryland tax.

 

[SamSpade]

what is considered an old heat pump?

I'd kind of like to know that - but I think it's more important to know how efficient it is, at any age. Because I think I'm being duped into keeping old ones for no intelligent reason.

We have two on our house, on either end. One is close to ten years old - and it is the *newer* of the two. The other is close to twenty, but at least one repairman said that only the housing is twenty years old - the compressor inside, he'd guess is much newer - but my records don't corroborate that (or disprove it).

On any visit, I usually ask a tech to check the freon levels, and ask them if they need to be replaced. So far, no one has said "damn, this thing is so inefficient you're probably throwing half your money away". No, they usually say "you're a little low on freon, let me put a little in for you".

How do I find how efficient they are? And where do people buy new ones around here? Do any of these places have web sites? I'm tired of being re-directed to corporate level sites for national manufacturers. It gives me NO IDEA what a replacement might cost.

 

[camily]

My husband does HVAC. I can PM you the number if you want.

 

[desertrat]

As some may know, I've been making a few bucks on the side doing tax returns. It doesn't pay great, and I may consider other work after tax season.

But I noticed a change in the tax code relevant to this area. I'd have to look up the specifics, but there's a new credit/deduction (not sure which) for upgrading your heat pump - within certain conditions. Most of these conditions involve minimum levels of efficiency. If anyone's interested, I could look up the details. Pretty sure it is for both of the next two tax years.

THAT being the case - has anyone upgraded their heat pump recently? What are the costs, who did you go to, what kind of benefits did you reap? Right now, our electric bill is *outrageous*, and since it was pretty high even during the month we were GONE - I have to think it has a little to do with us running OLD heat pumps.

Anyone try this?

We went from straight oil heat (very old unit) to a high efficiency heat pump with programmable thermostat and oil backup. It cost 2500 after the rebate. Tri-county Aire did it and I think did a real nice job. They were the lowest of three I looked at for comparable units. It's kind of hard to tell how much I am saving since it's been pretty mild. The oil doesn't come on a lot. Only under 38 degrees so we've used very little oil. I was pleased to see that my electric bill has only gone up about $10 or so. I'll be sure to look at the tax credit issue. Thanks for that info.

 

[SamSpade]

We went from straight oil heat (very old unit) to a high efficiency heat pump with programmable thermostat and oil backup. It cost 2500 after the rebate. Tri-county Aire did it and I think did a real nice job. They were the lowest of three I looked at for comparable units. It's kind of hard to tell how much I am saving since it's been pretty mild. The oil doesn't come on a lot. Only under 38 degrees so we've used very little oil. I was pleased to see that my electric bill has only gone up about $10 or so. I'll be sure to look at the tax credit issue. Thanks for that info.

I'm not crazy about the fluctuating costs of oil to go over just yet. I just don't have the cash available unless there's a really good payoff.

 

[SamSpade]

We went from straight oil heat (very old unit) to a high efficiency heat pump with programmable thermostat and oil backup. It cost 2500 after the rebate. Tri-county Aire did it and I think did a real nice job. They were the lowest of three I looked at for comparable units. It's kind of hard to tell how much I am saving since it's been pretty mild. The oil doesn't come on a lot. Only under 38 degrees so we've used very little oil. I was pleased to see that my electric bill has only gone up about $10 or so. I'll be sure to look at the tax credit issue. Thanks for that info.

I did, however, notice that the previous owner of my old home - the one in Lusby also with outrageous electric - replaced my fairly NEW heat pump with one about three times the size. Since I lived there alone, and I defrayed the cost of AC by spending more of my time at home in my bedroom where I had a window unit - and similarly during the winter with floor heaters - I couldn't figure out where all the electric money was going.

 

[desertrat]

I did, however, notice that the previous owner of my old home - the one in Lusby also with outrageous electric - replaced my fairly NEW heat pump with one about three times the size. Since I lived there alone, and I defrayed the cost of AC by spending more of my time at home in my bedroom where I had a window unit - and similarly during the winter with floor heaters - I couldn't figure out where all the electric money was going.

I doubt if I would have installed an oil furnace either, but since it was there it made sense to use it. The electric heat strip back up can be a real budget buster as I'm sure you know.

 

[willie]

It's nice to get that warm air from oil heat but $473.75 for 189 gallons can put a chill up your spine. I used to run the oil from 48° and below but now I let the heat pump take care of it down to 38°. I hate to think how much it would be with the old furnace.

 

[desertrat]

Further info on the heat pump. Just got the Smeco bill and I actually used less electricity than last Dec. Of course it cost almost twice as much. The oil hasn't run very much either. I wish I'd done this years ago before electric went up so much.

 

[desertrat]

It's nice to get that warm air from oil heat but $473.75 for 189 gallons can put a chill up your spine. I used to run the oil from 48° and below but now I let the heat pump take care of it down to 38°. I hate to think how much it would be with the old furnace.

Yeah, I thought I'd miss the warm blast from the oil, but now it feels weird when it comes on.

 

[kom526]

My builder told me that as of 1 Jan 06 all new heat pump units sold in MD have to have a sere rating of 13. It was previously 10. The new 13 sere pumps, besides being more efficient supposedly eliminate the need for any kind of back up heat source. We decided to go the heat pump and pellet stove route for heating our new place after having oil heat all of our lives.