Heat Pumps are Not Hard: Here's what it will take to start pumping

Is this the last video on heat pumps? Well, for a while anyway. This isn't a complete picture by any means, but I hope that you leave this video with the knowledge that this future is well within our grasp.
Hey! There's now a PLAYLIST with all the heat pump videos. You can find it with this clicky thing:
• Heat Pumps
Technology Connextras (the second channel that stuff goes on sometimes):
/ @technologyconnextras
Technology Connections on Twitter:
/ techconnectify
The TC Subreddit
/ technologyconnections
And check out these cool people!
Smith8154 , Kenneth Siewers Møller, jacob kamphaus, Slysdexia , HurleyPotter, Tommy McCarthy, Andrew Bobulsky, On Ice Perspectives, TheGreatCO , Petteri Hjort, Polaris, Nathan Obuchowski, Shaun Puzon, Vlycop, Devon Hodgson, Zimpan , Filmmaker IQ, Jan Houben, Bren Ehnebuske, T.J. Zientek, Vernon , Ton Brands, Scott Wright, Kory Howard, rezonant , Thanasis Dimas, Adam Quartarolo, Marc Grondin, HexTheDragon, Craig Kollai, Daniel Barrera, Erkin Alp Güney, Mark Stradling, Peter Sodke, Dee Dub, joseph , Kristian Scheibe, BigMcLargehuge510, Nick , The Orangewalled, Chris Cody, Jason Portwood, Chad Fertig, Joseph Houghtaling, Ben Tucci, Josh Braun, Ellie Dugger, Christopher Lowell, Oleg Korsunskiy, Michael Sacchi, Ali Elam, Dan Allen, Zhenbang Xiao, Markus Towara, Barky doggo, Ectra , Reid Fishler, Daniel Meagher, Joel , Clemens , Bill Bates, Dennis Walsh, Alex Warren, Paul Robins, Michael Gernoth, Les , Keenan Finucan, Ian Clanton-Thuon, Ryan Pratt, Paul Newton, Greg Golds, Gopher on the Road, aceat64, Ben Ratner, WildMartin, Paul Sharp, Craig Brickey, Zidy , Brandon , Karl Kornel, Danila Fediashchin, Adam , Ryan Kamphuis, WB , AmbientCyan , Sam Calandra, Miezensortierer, Will Preston, Christopher Olson, Kor Nielsen, Adrian Hunziker, Jacob Ford, Stephen Amar, GmCity , Andy24x, David Jeroslow, Charles MacDonald, Tim Jones, Crisco762 , Phil E, Jack Mudge, Ian Spence, Mike A, Leslie Deana, hipp1eguy , shacklesburst, Justin Derleth, NEON725, Emily Eisenberg, Tinker, Bard , Megan Lovett, LGR, kn0tsin , David Wulff, FirstWizardZorander, Paul Kavanagh, Isaac Clarke, Sean Hearrell, selectric, Keithius , Seb Bacanu, Mauricio , Hunter Thornsberry, Austin C Borger, Gabe Cook, Anapan, Hodgkin LeBlanc, Michael Snow, Sonic Ether, mike quick, Calisto, Adam , Lucas , Daniel Kraut, John de Largentaye, Peter Hillier, PeterH , William Holt, Ethan Hamel, Grant Campau, Michael Dunn, Kenny, Ugi Kutluoglu, Richard Hicks, Atlas Pup, Mike Roach, Matthew Schwartz, gs , ashka , Mr. Yan, Matthias Feist, adan c, Thomas Fuchs, Markus Wüst, Alan Holland, Dan Boulden, Phiroze Dalal, Devin Rosenthal, electronicMe, G Cowell
00:00 Intro
01:02 Recap on why heat pumps are important
02:20 Insulate, Insulate, Insulate
08:16 What getting a heat pump is like
09:02 Ductless mini- and multi-split systems
15:15 Air-to-water heat pumps
18:15 The US is largely all set for heat pumps
19:40 Except... the equipment we can get isn't great
20:49 VRF systems and an outstanding performer
22:38 Things are starting to get better in the US...
24:42 But why have they been so bad for so long?
27:18 Getting a cold-climate heat pump is difficult
27:56 Price gouging
32:43 Pricing obfuscation and where to go from here
33:53 Ductwork challenges
37:33 Ambient noise concerns
40:29 A look at some packaged units
45:05 Jazzy bloopers

[@TechnologyConnections]

Apologies for the video glitches near the end! This video really didn't want to get exported correctly... (edit) Oh, also, this is the last video on heat pumps, I swear! OK, well the last for a solid while...

[@fluffycritter]

I was wondering about that! I thought it was because I was watching at 1.5x speed.

[@demagab]

I thought they were some kind of hidden clues, I moved frame by frame to see if they were hiding something lol

[@jimurrata6785]

NO! Never end pumping for heat pumps.

[@TotallyFriedChannel]

MORE HEAT PUMPS!

[@WilburJaywright]

Still being in the first 15 seconds, I am semi-hoping for a, “…and to end this series, we’re going to talk about latent heat and the refrigeration cycle. “

[@austinpearce8753]

From the man that brought you 30 minutes on dishwashers, enjoy 46 minutes on heat pumps 😂 I love this channel

[@fluffycritter]

Another 46 minutes, on top of the previous videos which were each around 40 minutes themselves.

[@k20nutz]

I feel like I've watched over an hour of quality dishwasher and dishwasher related connect from this gentleman.

[@intjonmiller]

And toasters, space heaters, fans, etc. And CEDs were particularly interesting and involved.

[@klfjoat]

46 minutes on top of the ...2 or 3? other videos on the topic.

[@Typhyr]

Not to forget the entire series of neat media formats ranging from vinel, laserdiscs, cd’s, dvd’s, casette tapes, betamax vs vhs and that weird format I forgot the name that’s a vinel for video.

[@DeviantOllam]

Giving people enthusiasm and knowledge is terrific, but giving people *actionable* info and a path forward that they can follow is outstanding and can change the world. 👍

[@nathanstautzenberger8381]

holy cow, I didn't expect to see DeviantOllam on this channel

[@DeviantOllam]

@@nathanstautzenberger8381 I do show up in various places 😉👍

[@SupremeRuleroftheWorld]

@@DeviantOllam especially elevators and server rooms.🤣

[@Tabbithakitten]

didn't expect to see Deviant here lol

[@Dem0n1337]

I love when I find the Dev in a place I frequent. Keep being awesome dude.

[@blooptastic]

We had a ducted "multi-split" system retrofitted last year, upgraded from a ancient 80+ gas furnace. Not looking back - apart from being orders of magnitude more efficient, it's also a lot quieter and more comfortable as it keeps the temperature far more constant. Even in CA where such a system is an absolute no-brainer, I was shocked how ignorant or even hostile towards heat pumps some HVAC contractors are. One tech claimed that they are some newfangled technology that "always breaks", another gave us offers for gas and hybrid systems even though I was very clear about wanting to ditch natural gas. Imagine what we could achieve if just a fraction of the $30+ billion the US wastes annually to subsidize fossil fuels was spent on upgrading insulation and HVAC systems. Stay on your soap box, Alec!

[@electrictroy2010]

New-fangled??? I’ve had a heat pump since the 1980s. They have more real-world development than the EVs California loves to push

[@electrictroy2010]

$15,000 IN SAN DIEGO is insane. I would buy the unit wholesale for $3000. Then tell the HVAC company “I already have the heat pump. Just install it please.” I do that with car dealerships too: I supply the oil & filter, and they charge $15 labor. It saves money .

[@parker9012]

I just bought 4 mini splits off Amazon for about 4k. Definitely better to buy it yourself and install yourself/hire a hvac guy to install. Also what's the $30B? I haven't heard that number before.

[@blooptastic]

​@@parker9012The true number is much, much more - wrecking the planet is incredibly profitable 🤮 Annual direct producer subsidies (mostly in the form of tax breaks) in the US at federal and state level total $20 billion according to a 2015 study by Oil Change International. On top of that, there are $14 billion in consumption subsidies (Reporting by several reputable news outlets, although I couldn't find the primary source for that number). This doesn't even include all the indirect subsidies, like military operations to secure oil or health care costs due to pollution. Of course all of the above pales in comparison to the economic impact of heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires, and sea level rise caused by fossil fuels...

[@wormwoodbecomedelphinus4131]

Persistent ignorance is an illness.

[@stupendas101]

Your comments on contractor price gouging are spot on. My municipality offered a $1,000 rebate for installing a hot water heat pump last year but you had to choose from their list of 16 installers. Each one of the first few installers quoted between $5,000 and $6500. By the time I contacted 6 of these contractors I realized this is just a scam to have the $1000 handed over to the installer plus they are gouging beyond that. I ended up calling a regular plumber who was not familiar with heat pumps. together we went through the install procedure and he installed it perfectly at $2,200. Most of that was for running the 22V electric since I previously had gas only in that corner. Even without the rebate it was still way cheaper than using those who manipulate government incentive programs. Plus I always wanted a couple of 110V electric outlets in that corner of the garage and he ran lines for those as well (included in the $2,200). So buyer beware in areas where you must use contractors from a specific list (please shop outside the list to get the real price)

[@jacobskinner4443]

Thanks to the resources you present here, I was able to: 1) compare my natural gas and electricity costs directly in kWh to find the breakeven CoP (3). 3) use historical weather data for my location to see that my winter temps are above 17 degrees Fahrenheit ~100% of the time. 2) use the NEEP list to find multiple heat pump models with CoP > 4 at 17 degrees Fahrenheit. Now I know that replacing my natural gas furnace with ductless mini-splits will decrease my heating costs. Thanks Technology Person!

[@whuzzzup]

Now you have to calculate after how many years/decades this will pay.

[@freejulianassange537]

@@whuzzzup Same happened with economical/hybrid cars.. and those calculations have gone out the window with incredible increases in LNP and Petrol prices. It pays to be ahead of the curve sometimes.

[@Trainwreck1123]

@@freejulianassange537 Also, and I know this is some privilege speaking, but if you have the money to make the switch return on investment isn't really all you should care about. Honestly it doesn't even need to be the highest thing on the list of things you care about. The benefit to society and the planet are externalized costs that we forget far too easily.

[@kxhonda]

@@whuzzzup kind of a mute point if you need a new system anyways. Taking out a perfectly good work furnace would change the argument.

[@freejulianassange537]

@@Trainwreck1123 I can see why you're a fan of this channel. Well met. 8)

[@sacker987]

I'm an HVAC design engineer and I 100% approve this message. Thank you for spreading the word.

[@YodaWhat]

Sacker987 - You might be interested in my other comment, which is about engineering for HVAC and more: kzbin.info/www/bejne/amS7fJmrpdmhn80&lc=Ugz2aofWigb0Rk9LR_N4AaABAg

[@pteppig]

Because it improves sales and service fees. But not actually, because it would create a safe heating source from an efficient local energy storage. It's unreliable, maybe usable as a 2nd unit, for cooling AND optional heating, but not as a main unit The electrical grid will be even less reliable if cars and heating also relied on it and increase the demand 5-8 times.

[@bryanboone7363]

Oh look! Someone in HVAC advocating for guaranteed government subsidies. Who woulda thunk it. I mean, it's not like government subsidies caused the medical care and education costs to increase 7 times more than inflation or anything. I mean, what could go wrong???

[@karozans]

Oh look! Someone in HVAC advocating for guaranteed government subsidies. Who woulda thunk it. I mean, it's not like government subsidies caused the medical care and education costs to increase 7 times more than inflation or anything. I mean, what could go wrong???

[@CrustedCheese]

@@pteppig do you have a source for the demand being 500-800% higher?

[@elisebjerke3976]

Here in Norway heatpumps are mostly the norm if you're looking to upgrade your home in terms of heating. It gets cold here, and -12C in winter is common even along the coast, and inland it can get down to -30C, though it usually stops at -20C. Most homes now have heatpumps, it's rare to see one without it. We live in a newer home that already had a heatpump when we moved in, but it broke down after aproximately 20years of faithful service(and that had to do with bad maintenance), so just a couple months after we moved in it had to be replaced. The cost of ripping out the old one and installing a new one(both indoor and outdoor) came to 30 000 nok, which equals to approx. 3500 american dollars. And that was both the job and the price of the new system. So the price you guys have over there is outrageous, you shouldn't have to file for a loan to fix your heating, that's stupid. We've not had a single issue with heating this winter, though it crept down to -20C. I also have friends that live in houses as old as 300 years(yes, their house is older than the US), and with a heat pump installed, no insulation upgrade, and a woodstove, it keeps their house way above freezing without issue. They're planning on getting in some new insulation this summer, and are looking forward to their heat pump being more efficient because of it. Their heating and woodbills have majorly decreased after the heatpump got installed. So greetings from the arctic circle, heatpumps works here too.

[@Qsie]

Bless this comment, needs to be signal boosted.

[@AileTheAlien]

That's about the same temperature as where I live in Canada! If only the plumbing industry over here would catch up... 😑

[@EarlHayward]

Yeah, but heat pump systems drop in efficiency as outdoor ambient drops - particularly when below freezing… So, in very cold regions here in the US, cost per BTU is less for 95% gas furnaces than heat pumps… Almost by as much as 50% depending on relative cost of each… Nothing against heat pumps; I live in Phoenix, Arizona where our winters are rarely below 2-3 Celsius so I prefer heat pumps as they don’t dry out the air like furnaces do and cost to run a heat pump won’t be significantly more, if at all, than gas…

[@hammarby1169]

@@EarlHayward We use ground source heat pumps as underground temps are virtually constant.

[@diegopescia9602]

​@@EarlHayward I already saw this exact comment from this exact user... And in that "but sometimes" scenario, well, gas would be more efficient for heating for... I don't know, less than 10% of the time? Heat pumps are still worth it. Really worth it. Yes, for real.

[@dtemp132]

Many rental apartment buildings in NYC have "heating included," meaning there's centralized boilers feeding radiators that you have little control over. I used to live on the highest floor, and my room was so hot, that I had to spend the entire winter with my windows open. This is a common story when the tenant of a space cannot easily control the temperature of their space. Very wasteful.

[@hammerheadcorvette4]

Hot in the summer, Hot in the winter. . . I lived it. No matter how much you turned the valve to close it, it was always hot.

[@taylortisaac]

I lived in a similar old building in Detroit. It’s very very cold there but our windows were wide open. The bathroom became quite an impressive sauna when showering, so that was a bonus!

[@Kythyria]

That seems like a tremendously naive design that only made sense before we had cheap electronics. Especially if boilers large enough to heat the building can be built with variable output. Then you could maybe have per-apartment thermostats control valves that admit the hot water into a particular apartment's radiators, and linked up so that the boiler only puts as much energy into the water as is actually needed to serve demand. The upside is that if you have all the windows open maybe the airflow is better, but I can't help thinking there's better ways to do that (maybe not as retrofittable though; it's not like solenoid valves are big).

[@electrictroy2010]

LANDLORDS ARE DUMB. Not news. My apartment has the thermostat locked behind a vent. While I can unscrew the cover, wouldn’t it make more sense to mount the control on the wall? Then the renter could change the temperature. But the landlord doesn’t want me setting my own temp (even though I pay the electric bill separately)

[@hithere7382]

@@electrictroy2010 do it anyway.

[@Falcon-eh8tq]

As an HVAC technician of roughly 20 years, seeing the SEER rating of these new units vs. what we were putting in back in the early 90's.. just awesome. Half the amperage and 300% more heat/cooling compared to some equipment. Insulentives has to be the best description of rebates lol. And yes they're easy to install, even multi head units. But give troubleshooting them a shot.. Experience in our trade saves time there, and the better quality the unit, the less chance of expensive service calls later. Manual and tech support are almost always necessary.

[@AgentSmith911]

Has the efficiency at low temperatures and outside unit noise improved? If you live in Canada, having temperatures below -30°C isn't unusual and the colder the weather, the more the heat pump struggles to do its job.

[@bertjesklotepino]

@@AgentSmith911 which is basically logic. Which is why i still use a regular electric heater, battery powered. And them batteries charge themselves with solarpower etc. Might be a bit less efficient, but the heater heats.

[@eugenetswong]

Thank you for your work!

[@DickShooter]

Hybrid water heater units are almost nowhere to be seen in Florida... Lol.

[@marconantel7735]

@@AgentSmith911 most definitely, it’s not even close

[@antibrevity]

I worked in HVAC for over a decade, mostly doing residential install and service. I have been disgusted by the experiences of friends family members in recent years as the large companies now dominating the local region are obviously engaged in serious price-gouging *and* seem to have a policy to refuse to repair existing units in order to encourage easy, high-profit replacements. And this was true even *before* the economic woes of the 2020's. I'm sure that it's even worse today. Get as many quotes as practical and look up equipment prices on your own to be as informed as possible. While small, fly-by-night companies might be unlicensed scammers, experience suggests that the large companies in my area are doing most of the scamming and fraud.

[@ststst981]

Sadly thats the nature of capitalism, especially this late. Bigger companies push out or buy up the few honest smaller businesses and then gouge the price as much as they can get away with

[@volvo09]

Common practice with lots of "techy" things these days. Expensive, lackluster support, and once it's out of warranty the service is nearly non-existent.... "Simply" but a new one.

[@jkfeatherranch]

That is exactly why we do everything ourselves. We bought our own heat pumps and we're installing those guys. We already have four installed and we're putting up another two this week. And I'm licensed cuz I went ahead and took the HVAC test to get my license just to do my own work and be able to order any more coolant I might need. We got a price quote for Windows and it's going to be $14,000. We went to home Depot and we've ordered all of our windows and it cost us $3,000 for all the windows and we're installing them ourselves one by one we've already gotten three done. We just finished insulating the attic ourselves and we are almost done insulating the walls because our house was built in 1939 and whoever remodeled it right before we bought it didn't even bother to put in insulation. Yeah we always do things ourselves cuz it's way too expensive to have someone else do it

[@paulstaf]

The scum bags at Home Depot quoted me $12,000 to replace ONE 3 ton heat pump. I took HVAC repair in high school, I laughed in the guy's face and sent him out the door...."Don't worry, you can put it on your Home Depot credit card".

[@jkfeatherranch]

@@paulstaf lol. Wow. We bought a 3 ton mini split with 3 indoor units for $3,000 and we are installing it ourselves this week. Far less labor than running ductwork. The vacuum pump, gauges, and associated tools cost me about $700, but that's still a lot less than $12,000, and I plan on installing more mini splits and also using them for car a/c repair.

[@MochaBloke]

This whole series on heat pumps is amazing and a great learning experience as a new homeowner, but the spot on a/c unit impression at 38:05 was phenomenal.

[@ethanaerni8938]

my heat pump does that.

[@SOCMMOB]

Thanks to people like you, I found the confidence to install a 4 zone mini split in my house-by myself- and just finished yesterday (aside from some cleanup work), and it seems to be working brilliantly.

[@TJ.85]

While his confidence building may be nice I would never take these types of videos as "instructional" enough to actually complete a job like that.... Might be enough to call someone and get it done finally but definitely feel like using him as a guide would be ill advised. I suspect he would DEFINITELY want you finding out much better directions than the surface level descriptions he provides here.

[@majordude83]

@@TJ.85 "people like you" ... I'm sure he went to some more specific KZbin videos for the installation

[@felixmakesart]

Daniel Higgs congrats!! Hope it’s still working well.

[@electrictroy2010]

$15,000 IN SAN DIEGO is insane. I would buy the unit wholesale for $3000. Then tell the HVAC company “I already have the heat pump. Just install it please.” I do that with car dealerships too: I supply the oil & filter, and they charge $15 labor. It saves money .

[@SOCMMOB]

@@felixmakesart so far so good, and at about 6k with me doing the labor isn’t a bad deal. Local HVAC place quoted almost 18k

[@WizardTim]

Here in Australia the use of reversible heat-pumps is very common so those videos always give me a good laugh, we've got a three decade old Carrier unit and some other modern high efficiency Mitsubishis (split systems are very common here) however it doesn't get all that cold here but the more southern states do rely on gas heating a lot more than up north. About a decade ago the government also subsidized insulation installation for 1.2 million homes for AU$1.5 billion (approx. one B-2 Spirit stealth bomber), the program has since saved >100 TWh of electricity, pushed back the growth trend of natural gas consumption by two years and saved an equivalent 27 million tonnes of CO2.

[@WayStedYou]

Murica: but think how many B2s we could buy!

[@bigmikeobama5314]

now if you could just end the total tyranny that same government has forced on you by taking your guns and arresting old ladies and beating people for not wearing face diapers.

[@CampGareth]

@@WayStedYou lowering global co2 emissions by destroying homes and taking lives in other countries, good thinking /sarcasm

[@YodaWhat]

But did they insulate RENTAL properties? Here in USA, none of the programs reach renters, only home OWNERS. That traps renters in a cycle of high bills on top of high rents, which together, prevent many from ever getting to buy their own home.

[@id104335409]

Here's something to laugh at - the internet situation in Australia. I watched a documentary on why it's such a mess and how it got there. Very similar as how the Americans got stuck with sub par HVACs. Except Australians got shafted by their government and not by free market. As it is usually the case with Ausies.

[@RussSirois]

Just want to say, I really enjoy the random stock video selection for the VO segment at 32:46. A lot of older homes in my area (central Arizona) have AC+Furnace, because that's just what they were designed for. My home was converted at some point from Cooler+Furnace to Heat Pump and I couldn't be happier. We had to replace the unit at the beginning of 2020 -- $15,000 for a 18 SEER 3.5t 2-stage unit plus new soft ducts to the extreme ends of the house. It was pretty painful but we need AC in Arizona as much as you need heat in Illinois. It sucks getting taken along for a ride on something that's so important to your living.

[@electrictroy2010]

$15,000 INSTALL is insane. I would buy the unit wholesale for $3000. Then tell the HVAC company “I already have the heat pump. Just install it please.” I do that with car dealerships too: I supply the oil & filter, and they charge $15 labor. It saves money .

[@MegaDysart]

@@electrictroy2010 hvac guy here, nobody worth their salt is gonna install your used unit or warranty it. It's not a slight against you, it's that nobody wants to waste their time making half the money they could be making (markup on parts is sometimes the ONLY profit some companies budget into their jobs) and nobody wants to be tied to a unit that they didn't order and spec out because the warranty process for that can be a nightmare and a contractor's bond is on the line in most cases. Just the way it is unfortunately. I also used to be an auto mechanic, and I'm very VERY surprised you found an actual dealership that'll do an oil change for you using oil and a filter you provided and only charge labor. You must live in a small town because around here (phx) they'd tell you to take a hike. Quick lube is big money especially with the techs doing a multi point inspection and writing up everything they can to try and get some work.

[@ZReviews]

Can't wait for the Pioneer Minisplits to arrive to convert my whole house, I will document the installation and do two full reviews. Hopefully get even more people into the Mini-split game. The "Audiophile" angle is a yet unexplored one. These things are quiet and the humidity mitigation is going to make my basement a joy to work and play. EDIT: I called an HVAC company to quote a swap for my two 3.5 tonne AC units. They wanted $23.8k for the swap. The outdoor units alone by Bosch are over $5k each. So that is why I am going with Pioneer and individual splits.

[@justcommenting4981]

What state do you live in?

[@NicholasLittlejohn]

Jesus

[@johncoops6897]

Splits make a LOT of sense, compared to a ducted system. So much more power-efficient to just heat what areas you need, and not have all the losses in the ductwork. Also, having splits means that you can size them to heat/cool FAST, rather than having to leave everything running 24/7. I'm in Australia and there is no need to cool bedrooms *AT ALL* during the daytime. Using splits you can fire them up 10-15 minutes before bedtime, and the room is cool and ready to go. If a room isn't being used, just shut the door and leave the A/C off. PS: Americans: To prevent getting raped by installers, stop calling them "heat pumps". Just call them Air Conditioners, don't even tell the installers that they are Reverse Cycle.

[@JeffKubel]

@@johncoops6897 Can't you do this with zoning and a central unit?

[@johncoops6897]

@@JeffKubel - not with any form of energy efficiency. Zoning is literally just blocking off the vents to a certain area, let's say the bedrooms. You are still running a massive A/C system outside, you just aren't utilizing it's full capacity. So, let's say you have 5 bedrooms and only one of them is occupied, what do you do? Heat all the bedrooms, or not switch on that zone? And with zoning, each room doesn't get individual temperature control, eh ? Big central systems cannot cope with that - unless they use a very inefficient system called "reheat" where they heat/cool to suit the lowest temperature in all zones, then use resistive heating in a smaller zone's air-handler to make just that particular area warmer. Furthermore, ducted and zoned systems are usually undersized and designed to be run continuously. So if had the bedroom zone disabled and suddenly someone wanted to use a bedroom, you have to enable the A/C for that zone, and then wait quite a long time for it to bring the entire large zone to target temperature. Most people end up just leaving the whole house A/C enabled the whole time, which is extremely wasteful. One of the biggest advantages of split systems is to NOT have a huge A/C unit, but instead have a number of small units that you only enable if and when you need them. For example, right now there is only me here in the house. 2 stories, 4 bedrooms and only one person. A zoned central system cannot cope with just heating/cooling the room(s) that I am actually using. I hope that makes sense, it's hard to explain in a youtube comment. I have worked for a long time in the energy efficiency industry and these concepts are often difficult for people to grasp.

[@ScottPenick]

That sound at 38:06 is... uncomfortably accurate. Nice voice acting! Great video. I do wish I'd have known more to research options in my area prior to installing a new furnace last winter (old one bit the dust), but this does have me hopeful that once that one dies in a decade or so, heat pumps will be an incredible option.

[@SuperCartoonist]

That was the best part of the video. Also I hope someone makes a meme out of it.

[@rpavlik1]

I feel like that every time he posts about heat pumps. A couple years into the current system, and sure it's dual stage, but I still sometimes feel like I got scammed...

[@edwardjenkins5421]

The fact that he gets the pitch just about right baffles me the most.

[@Daryl5765]

I was hoping we'd see a bunch of worse attempts in the bloopers...

[@StraveTube]

@@Daryl5765 Or just some practice attempts! That was a SHOCKINGLY accurate reproduction.

[@andys990]

I actually work in HVAC direct to consumer sales. I completely agree with you! Heat pumps are fantastic for people who don't need a ton of heat, and are reasonable for people even in higher latitudes so long as their home is properly insulated. Also, installers are sometimes extremely greedy. We look at real costs and almost always sell at lower than our competitors. I wish more companies would be honest and reasonable in their pricing.

[@smizles]

Do you have any suggestions for finding less greedy installers? Ours was fairly confident that heat pumps were a waste of money in Southwest Ohio, and they wanted an extra $12,500 to install the heat pump condenser and matching furnace (total cost $19,500). I know labor isn't cheap, but following the 30% material cost rule of thumb shouldn't that be almost half the price? Maybe the problem is they exclusively install Trane equipment.

[@notmuch_23]

...and that's how Capitalism _should_ work: if one provider charges too much, in comes a competitor to undercut them. I only comment this because another user commented that overcharging is actually how Capitalism works, but usually it's Government that prevents competition from naturally controlling prices.

[@Matt-dk3wl]

Installers also know that some states give fat rebates... I got a 4500 dollar rebate in MA... The installer knows this! All of them do. They mention it while they are giving their quotes. I'm SURE they feel entitled to a piece of that.

[@wobblysauce]

@@Matt-dk3wl That and deals like if you only sell X, we will give you x% off the constructor prices.

[@SupremeRuleroftheWorld]

as a salesperson you should know that the required heat has no bearing on the abillity to install a heat pump. talk like "you need insulation otherwise you can install a heat pump because they dont generate enough heat" is bullshit. i work with heat pumps that range well into the megawatt range on a daily basis that run as replacements for gas boilers in large commercial buildings. the ecomomics scale with consumption. the more energy you need the more money you save. its always more economical to first install a heat pump and use the funds you save to improve your insulation.

[@kermitefrog64]

You mentioned having an AC unit put through a wall. It brings back memories on what my Dad did back in the 1970's. We lived in the Yakima Valley in Washington and at that time HVAC units were not common. We had oil for heating and no AC. My Dad bought a large window unit and put it through the wall and sealed it up. The insulation on the house was a fiberboard nailed onto the outside of the studs with no fiberglass in the walls. The house was built in the late 50's.

[@gerryowen5577]

Thank you for this information. I live on Gabriola Island in BC Canada. Here we have a community program started by an enterprising small group of retired professionals and a willing HVAC professional. They researched heat pumps 10 years ago and decided on the high efficiency Fujitsu. They became a Fujitsu dealer and have been bringing the 12,000 BTU mini split into the community at wholesale. They arranged for a local installer and, once the physical installation is complete the HVAC guy comes by and commissions the unit. In our small community they have installed over 1000 units, even giving some away to needy recipients. BC Hydro has noticed the huge reduction in demand during the winter because most systems replace baseboard heaters, and hundreds of homes are more comfortable and more healthy during the winter (and air conditioned during the summer!). Community in action! It can be done!!

[@frollard]

5:00 I'm reminded of the topic of incentive Nudges as policy - in England(? I could be forgetting details) they really wanted people to insulate their old homes. Tried all the things, carrot and stick. Very few takers. It wasn't until the policymakers examined the pain points of insulating an old house that they realized that it was all well and good to offer cheap/free insulation but most people were reluctant because they would have to clean out their attic full of storage. Instead of paying for insulation, they started offering an attic clean out service (plus insulation) and suddenly the adoption skyrocketed. If someone offered me 'nebulous future utility savings but I had to do physical work' I probably would pass...but if they offered to clean my house and give me nebulous savings...I'd be on board.

[@electrictroy2010]

It’s sadly pathetic that people are too LAZY to clean their own homes.

[@alexforce9]

@@electrictroy2010 Its no so one sided. In older homes usually live older people - so for them its literal pain to clean. And they have to pay someone to do it, so to invite a stranger in their home, so it becomes a whole thing. Or its younger people but they are working mon/fri and dont want to spend their only free weekend to do more work. The insulation is free, but to get it you must work to get it. So its not really free. And savings are very...abstract. Tell them EXACLTY how much less they will pay for heat and people will be more willing.

[@samuelclark3789]

Australia had rebates on roofing insulation installing to help with more keep housing cold

[@reganator5000]

@@alexforce9 And beyond that, a lot of attic storage is stuff there isn't room for anywhere else, shoved up in a storage space with no floor- it's awkward to get at, and may contain a large amount of items that you don't wannt to have in the house around children and so on (whether it's a set of saws or your bondage equipment), and may be catastrophically dusty as a result of you being unable to properly clean up there (all the items in my old attic were around the trap-door, because it didn't have a floor- the ceiling would hold boxes of xmas decorations well enough, but it certainly wouldn't have supported me whilst i tried to hoover)

[@BlazingKhioneus]

@@electrictroy2010I for one dont find the idea of emptying a primary storage space, having to find a temporary place for it all to clutter up the house, then putting it all back once the insulation is installed for nebulous savings because the government asked nicely very enticing.

[@LegalEagle]

I am here for this heat pump content. It's hot! (Get it?). Pump it out! (Ok, I'll show myself out...)

[@cho4d]

I should hope you realise that this kind of offense to the english language is criminal 😂

[@bigmikeobama5314]

yeah get out

[@redmoon383]

Alright we're revoking your license! Only legal puns from now on Mr.!

[@jkfeatherranch]

Oh hey Legal eagle you're here!!! Hi Legal Eagle!!!

[@Dimrain13]

Keep it up and Ill see YOU in court.

[@susanmottet9120]

Great video. I wish I had found it when I was selecting my heat pump. I got 20 estimates (all but 2 were $22,000-41,000). If I had seen this video, it would have made my process way faster. I ended up with a 3-ton "mini-split" that hooks up an air handler so I can use my central ducting. Under $12,000 all in. I'm replacing an oil furnace and this house will have AC for the first time in its 132 years of existence. But I only got to a reasonable plan and estimate after having to learn way too much about HVAC, so I could sort through all the nonsense HVAC companies were telling me. This 45 minute video would have saved me dozens of hours.

[@chaotic-ilusium8363]

I think that the part where you explained “why insulation is better than heat pumps” can be summarized with this thought experiment : If you’re filling a bucket with water from the tap, and that the bucket have holes in it. Do you try to get a bigger tap to fill the bucket faster, or do you try and fix the most amount of leaks?

[@ADefenestrator]

That was an astonishingly accurate impression of a fixed-speed compressor start.

[@AndrewRodX]

I bought a 5 way heat pump last year after watching your previous videos. It has been an absolute game changer for us. We previously only had baseboard heating and window units. Now we have cheaper heat and silent ac. The pump outside is quiet, I never notice it. As a bonus it is located the side of the house that is unseen and unheard.

[@zr4725]

As someone in the HVAC industry, I enjoy this quite a bit. Please continue making videos like this!

[@freddyzdead1]

Well, am I glad I live in Australia. I paid about $600 for my Mitsubishi split A/C system, installed it myself, and it all runs on sunshine. Ok, the climate here is much like San Diego, but I originally came from Canada, so I know what it's like up there. But your presentation brought home the extent to which North Americans are chained to the existing methods of heating & cooling. It's going to take quite awhile for this to change. You are probably the most effective motivator there is at present. The people in the industry don't want to change; neither do the people who make the rules and regulations. But they have to. Especially if there's someone like you standing there beating a drum. You're not wrong about the noise issues. The outdoor unit for my bedroom A/C is less than a metre from my head when I'm in bed, with a very thin wall between. Yet I can barely hear it when it's running, even when it's going full tilt. Did I mention my hot water heat pump, that I made myself out of a dehumidifier? Ok, I had help from a friend in the refrigeration industry, but I gassed it myself with propane, and it works just fine., It needs to run for maybe an hour to make enough hot water for a shower. Rather than try to invent a complicated thermostat system, I just put a 2-hour clockwork timer in the power line to it, so I can run it whenever I need some hot water. In the summertime, I don't need the heat pump, there are 3 solar panels on the roof that are connected directly to the water heater element. The heat pump is needed in winter because there's not enough sunshine. Works for me.

[@tedrymarcsuk3518]

That may have been the best impression of a condenser starting up that I've ever heard. You've got some good info here. We are currently building a new house in Niles, IL and I really geeked out on the HVAC system. 96% two stage gas furnace, 18seer two stage heat pump, zoned duct system, and in-floor hydronic to boot. Thermostats are programmed to use gas equipment at lower outdoor temps and the heat pump when it is more mild. With 6kw of solar on the roof and gas rates increasing lately, I may end up pushing that threshold temp lower as long as the HP efficiency remains decent.. I've done the entire installation myself (I'm a contractor) except for connecting the lineset and charging the system. I basically had to 'trick' my HVAC guy into thinking he was charging a standard a/c unit by not springing it on him that it was a heat pump until he arrived. Pretty sure he's still not happy about it (the charging process is exactly the same). Every HVAC contractor I have discussed the subject with around here have scoffed at the idea of a heat pump.

[@baills5694]

Living in MT and my wife is in HVAC, she thinks I am dumb for even considering a heat pump. Our house had the boiler run for only a few hours each day most of the winter.

[@Quickened1]

You've done the right thing!

[@christo930]

@@baills5694 Was it oil fired? In my area, the city has naturalgas but the areas outside the city don't have the piping for it and so they all run with oil. It's a huge waste of oil, IMHO.

[@BruceNJeffAreMyFlies]

Here in Aotearoa it gets so cold that you are legally required to insulate the pipes inside your house for risk of them freezing and bursting. I know people who grow pine (the cheapest wood here, by far) who heat their homes with a heat pump. It's archaic to think that refrigeration technology is so far behind that we can't use it to heat a home in 2022.. I installed a heat pump hot water cylinder only 3 days ago in a city nicknamed 'windy wellington' because the weather is so bad...

[@BruceNJeffAreMyFlies]

@@baills5694 Oh jeez, in a state where the average low is only around freezing... I thought the states were supposed to be the forward thinkers when it comes to tech... :/

[@LMacNeill]

If you have to use the condensate-pump method for getting rid of your indoor unit's condensation, you'll want to keep an eye on it. Make sure there's a switch installed (AND FUNCTIONING) that shuts off power to the ENTIRE SYSTEM if the pump's collection container fills up. My system had such a switch, but that switch failed in the closed position. The condensate pump failed. The collection container filled up. And kept going. And going. And going... Insurance doesn't cover water damage from broken condensate pumps. Ask me how I know.

[@ocoolwow]

How do you know?

[@SupremeRuleroftheWorld]

you only need that if the condensate needs to go up. and indoor units dont create condensation during heat mode, that happens outside.

[@Guysm1l3y]

Yep, when I got my dual zone mini-split in I initially suggested a location that would need a condensate pump. The install planning guy basically told me they refuse to do installs that require pumps because of the likelihood of eventual failure. We figured out a spot for the living room unit where they could run a drain line down the wall, across the basement ceiling and then into a floor drain without needing a pump.

[@dexter2811]

And if you use a container to collect the condensed water make sure that it can overflow without restrictions, moreso if you have your indoor unit above your bed. Ask me how I know.

[@weppwebb2885]

@@dexter2811 first I want to know what happens if I don't do that.

[@kitbashjay]

We're in Seattle, and we had a 6 head Mitsubishi system installed. The installer asked about any HOAs they had to worry about. They never said anything about an ordnance being a problem, and we've been enjoying stable air temperatures for the last two winters, and one summer.

[@SimuLord]

My oh my*, I'm jealous. Especially after the last week of June in 2021... *read that in Dave Niehaus' voice

[@SpaceCliffie]

I’m In Seattle too. I replaced my forced air electric furnace to a central heat exchanger (Carrier). It did cut my power bill in half for winter and it’s a 2-stage (hi/low) compressor. Still though, if I ever have the option, these mini splits seem like a great way to go!

[@da4fc3afd5f949ec8]

I’m also in seattle. Mind if I asked who you went though and what the total cost was like?

[@JBeanWX]

Weatherization Auditor here, Insulation is my life. I work at a Community action agency and do free efficiency upgrades to lower client's baseloads, such as LED replacements and New Fridges if the current one is over a certain kwh/yr. Our clients are anyone under 200% of the poverty line, with other factors affecting their priority points, or place in line. I also make it my mission to switch out 70 and 80 percent furnaces replaced with a Heat Pump. I'm one a few over here in Western Kentucky. This is important work, Alec. Thanks for covering it.

[@intjonmiller]

Funny story: your first heat pump video was published just weeks after a had a 210' trench excavated around my house and yard in order to heat the shop behind the house. I also trenched 100' around the other side of the house for power. If I had seen it first, or otherwise learned of heat pumps first, I could have skipped that gas line trench and all the work to fix the yard. Hopefully others learn first. Even though I have the gas line and furnace installed my heat pump is arriving next week. Hopefully solar will be in within a year.

[@Yorick257]

There are also "geothermal" heat pumps that require excavation. The pipes are put a meter (3-4 feet?) below the ground where the temperature is already constant and above freezing, which makes the system more efficient

[@joshuacheung6518]

Not to mention all the trenching for power could probably have been used for a loop on that lol.

[@drussell_]

I installed an 18,000 BTU mini-split in my uncle's "summer" cabin a couple years ago. They wanted it mainly for the air conditioning but the efficient heating capability has surprised them and allowed them to easily extend their stay both earlier in spring and later into the fall. When I saw the numbers on these latest generation of units I was surprised and impressed. Unfortunately the particular unit I want for _my_ place has been on backorder for months or else I would have been able to heat with that this past winter, which would almost have paid for itself in one year just with the energy savings.

[@MrNiceGuyMEGA08]

Curious to know what model you chose.

[@adamglens1705]

I just installed a heat pump system myself. I have an older home with boiler heat, so ductless was the way to go. Install is easy, and it is incredibly quieter than the window shakers. Haven't used it for heat yet, but I'm going to try it out this fall. I am working on plans for a new house, and I think I am going to use these for the entire HVAC system, along with an ERV. If you are interested in viewing the install, or getting some B-Roll for your next heat pump video, let me know, I'm in northern Illinois. Great video, Im glad someone is pointing out the positives, and possible negatives. Keep up the good work.

[@DoctorSockrates]

38:10 The impression of an air conditioner starting up was uncannily accurate and I'm not sure if I'm impressed or concerned

[@LanceThumping]

With all the emphasis on minisplit systems, I'd recommend doing some videos on heat exchange air vents for bringing in fresh outside air without losing your toasty heat. It's nice having a tightly insulated home but that also prevents CO2 and other nasties from working their way out.

[@jmacd8817]

If you watch the Build Show channel, (he's a custom home buklder) but he geeks out on air handling, including heat exchangers and the like. Good stuff! And good suggestion!

[@HyperVectra]

nooooooo mooooore!

[@rpavlik1]

Yeah, after getting a co2 sensor and seeing the correlations... I'm planning on getting an ERV hopefully later this year.

[@Xanthopteryx]

There are even heat pump air exchangers. Those are awesome!

[@freejulianassange537]

@@HyperVectra No, more! 8)

[@vismundcygnus2800]

I'm very impressed by your air conditioner startup noise. That was convincing! How long did you have to practice it?

[@KP-sg9fm]

Not gonna lie, I suspect he is actually a compressor now

[@SetitesTechAdventures]

Yea I wondered the same. That was like professional mouth sound effect guy quality.

[@FlyinRaptorJesus]

I thought the same thing haha

[@jonholaday2733]

I came to comments just to say this too!

[@James-fg3ed]

Time stamp?

[@bradleyjames4610]

I love this channel so much. One of my all time favorites on youtube. You have an incredible ability to succinctly explain complex stuff. I just wanted to point out that Insulating without Air-sealing can be very problematic. Any time you insulate, you should also air-seal--and vice versa (especially in older homes!) to ensure that the thermal boundary and pressure boundaries are aligned. For example, if you insulated an attic and didn't air seal, now all of the sudden the attic is significantly colder than it was before, when it was heated by the warmth flowing up through the living space. If warm moist air from the inside of the house is still able to make it up through the attic, then you can get condensation on the underside of your roof and create mold and mildew problems or rot your roof off. I'm a Weatherization auditor and I would love to continue to see you explore topics related to weatherization. Maybe a blower door video?? I feel like that's totally up your alley. Thanks for all your amazing work, Alec!

[@pong9000]

Any advice relating to climate should specify what climate on Earth you're talking about.

[@Kangenpower7]

Bradley, A blower door video would be great! Why not make one yourself? Try to write out a script, and then read it without saying Um every 30 seconds! It really helps to practice the script a couple of times before going "Live" on video tape. You have seen those video's where the commentator is saying um all the time, and you hate it - Right. At my house, the State of Oregon sent out a auditor who did a air duct leak test. They never closed off the air filter, or put anything in to stop air backflow through my 4 ton heat pump. They "Claimed" that there is air loss from the air ducts of 250 CFM or something. Then they removed every floor register, and put in duct sealant, and did the test again. Surprise, the ducts are now sealed with less than 50 CFM lost at this test. I never did tell them I know a thing or two about HVAC and air flow. What a rip off, but at least my air ducts have sealant in the area where they meet the floor, and actually are sealed better than before. To do a true test, I would seal each air outlet vent with a plastic shopping bag, then place the vent register back in place. Then with the air filter also in a trash bag, and put back into place, the only air duct open now could have about 1" of static pressure to see how many CFM of air is flowing into the air ducts, and thus out the door! I have seen diligent air loss tests, where the air door blows air into the building, and they used a chemical sprayer to shoot soapy water onto the exterior of the home, to look for leaks. Like around the electrical outlets, window frames, door frames, ect. They got lots of air bubbles. Even at 0.25" of water column pressure in the home. It made quite the display on that video! Soap bubbles everywhere!

[@hambonethegreat9547]

My name is David and one year ago I moved into a home from ruffly the 1930's. One of the first upgrades we made to this h9use wich had no central heating and air was to centrally mount a heat pump system. I used your videos to do the installation with some help from the directions and other KZbinr's. Over the last 365 days or so this is what I have observed For the space I am using this single unit in (1500ish square feet) it works wonderfully for heating and cooling the home. With a few ceiling fans we are able to move the air across the house. We have found this to be a bit of a necessity as if we do not then we end up with one or two rooms climate controlled and the others closer to the exterior temperature. The insulation did not require any special tools however I did get pipe cutters so I could shorten the distance of coper pipe. I had a service tech check it after my installation and he said it was all good. The unit runs some days all day and night in the winter with no problem thus far. I am curious to see how it handles this summers heat. That is my report of the unit and of the product/idea. I am very please and after some rewiring we will be adding insulation and I'm excited to see the effect. New windows will be last as far as insulation goes (large older odd sizes)

[@classicaltrombone]

Refrigeration Cycle Connections!!! I'd watch a hundred more videos on this topic. What are the different gasses used and what are their boiling points! Would refrigerators work more efficiently with an outside pump??

[@Mushaz]

Yes would love a video that covers various gasses used, charts of efficiency by temperature, and review of various equipment. Please keep these coming! Thanks!

[@Benji_4]

@@Mushaz Efficiency can vaguely be judged by PT curves. The work is put in at the compressor so a refrigerant that requires more pressure to reach that temp would be less efficient. Manufacturers compensate for this by improving efficiency in other areas to counteract this. There are other measures of efficiency like COP and heat ab- and adsorption, but I wouldnt mind seeing a video on that.

[@christo930]

The problem here is he is simply too focused on his own area. In my area, steam heat is common as is the 75 plus year old rowhome. Some of the rowhomes are so old, they go back before the turn of the 20th century. Many of the homes in my area were serviced by central steam heat and that still exists in some parts of my city (Philadelphia). Retrofitting insulation is not particularly easy or even possible. Running duct work is not possible. Steam heat uses only 1 pipe (steam rises gets to the radiators, condenses and falls back down the same pipe it rose in) and so hot water heat is not possible. It would be MAJOR construction to tear out the plaster walls to get to the pipes. Outside of the city, nobody has natural gas, they have oil tanks. Oil fluctuates and heat pumps would probably be better than the oil. NOBODY is going to dump thousands of dollars in a completely new system for some abstraction like reduced co2

[@mapmuncher5587]

Efficiency is greatest when the difference in temperature is smallest. So if its colder outside than in then fridges would be more effficient with a vent.... But then youre frowing away all the 'free' heat!

[@ballsrgrossnugly]

I've been wondering for a while why we can't get installable fridges with the radiator outside, then i think, oh, they probably count the extra heat as heating for the kitchen.

[@MrGregsRnR]

One of the things I've noticed in the builder/contractor scene being a GC in the southeast for over a decade is that there are a LOT of "old school" techs out there that are afraid to adopt new technology. They've been installing the same ac/heat pump units for decades and they know it down to the tee, brazing lines, climbing in sweltering attics and damp and cramped crawlspaces to install air handlers and evaporators is all part of "how it's done" in their minds. They know what it takes and can give a solid price number that they are comfortable with. I hate to use the "ok boomer" analogy with it, (I'm knocking on 40 atm), but their resistance to trying anything other than what they can do blindfolded makes them overcompensate in pricing for "that new-fangled stuff the kids are talking about". I see the same issue with metal frame homes vs traditional stick construction. Had 2 friends in nearby towns have nearly identical metal homes built right b4 covid. One hired the well known contractor that had built stick homes for 40 years, the other found a builder that was familiar with metal buildings. The cost difference due to change orders from the stick man having to order additional material (he framed everything 12" on center, thus wasting literal tons of material as he could at least gone 16" or up to 24".) But the point still stands, the stick builder built the metal building as if it were traditional lumber because he was unfamiliar with a different building practice and mindset in general. I was also told his labor cost was also about 20% over what he would have charged on a traditional stick building bc of the "added complexity". My century plus home has/had a traditional 3.5 ton outdoor heat pump/air handler combo on it. The previous owner added around 2000sqft to the house but didn't upgrade the unit to compensate (standard estimates call for a ~5ton unit for the total size now. Regardless, the unit finally gave up the ghost last winter as it would normally run full tilt with emergency heat just to try to keep up with the piss poor ductwork for the house (6 vents alone in the kitchen that was directly against the wall where the unit was installed.) dropped pressure to the point that the rooms at the far end of the house (3 rooms with 2 ducts each) each room only had 1 duct connected and even then, airflow was marginal at best. All that being said, I am looking to install 2 mini split systems next month. I have sized the outdoor heat pumps to be overkill for the initial install. They are capable of 4 heads each but I only intend to run 2 heads to start for the downstairs then will add additional heads upstairs later if need be. I had intended to do all the work myself from the get go, but called a few local hvac techs to get quotes for just install (I would provide parts) and all of them gave quotes that were around 2 times their quotes to replace the traditional unit and upgrade the ductwork compared to just installing parts that I was providing separately.

[@mattsnyder4754]

Nail on the head here unfortunately. The contractors know that they can do what’s “easier” by making it the only sensibly priced option.

[@johncoops6897]

If you don't want to get raped on the install costs, DON'T CALL them "Heat Pumps". They are Air Conditioners, with Reverse Cycle. Don't even tell the installer that it is Reverse Cycle, as it makes zero difference to the installation.

[@Chopper153]

I cannot believe US homes are still stuck with inefficient ducted HVAC systems. Here, in India, everyone just wants a lower electricity bill. Most people will buy a more expensive AC even though it'll take 20 years to break even 🤣. Meanwhile, my newly bought apartment (currently under construction) will be equipped with a very efficient VRF HVAC system. Even the condensate water will be collected and used to water the plants around the complex.

[@electrictroy2010]

CENTRAL HEAT is a big seller. The US buyers view A/Cs through windows or walls as “smum housing”. Some neighborhoods outright ban their use .

[@julianruggiero9701]

I've always looked down on mini-split systems and discredited them as being "cheap, crappy wall A/C systems". Your video taught me a great deal and now I understand they can be excellent options for both heating and cooling, and can sometimes be much more efficient than a ducted system. Excellent video, thank you!

[@electrictroy2010]

Why would you think they are crap? The whole house units are also split A/C (condensor outside… evaporator inside)

[@robincross4625]

I am just seeing this in September 2023. Wow you are spot on. I got some quotes for mini-splits. These were single head units. After pricing the units I saw that the contractors were GOLD plating their installation. I said no way. I was trying to replace a PTAC unit. Those are the motel units that are everywhere. I bought a heat-pump version with 3.5KW of emergency backup heat coils for 1/10 the price. The old unit slid out the new one slid in. By watching carefully what I was buying, it even plugs into the same outlet. In Kansas City area this will do nicely for the room it is in.

[@oayarc]

I am also experiencing huge HVAC markups with installing my Mitsubishi system (ducted air handler heat pump in the midwest). The markup was 2-3x the actual equipment cost difference compared to the low efficiency system they were pushing. Keep up the good work, you have quickly become one of my favorite channels.

[@freejulianassange537]

It's good to see people talking about this and demystifying it. If word gets out perhaps some installers can begin to make big inroads into their competition by charging fair rates for this technology and undercutting the sharks.

[@cuckingfunt9353]

Here in the UK anything with refrigerant costs a fortune due to all the regulations. Have you taken into account the pipes and refrigerant in the equipment cost ? We typically pay more for the refrigerant gas than for the unit we put it in, and the copper pipe isn't cheap either.

[@carolinavenger]

Sigh. Our central AC died last year and I would have loved to replace it with a heat pump but based on everything you've said it sounds like it probably won't be doable right now. The house is 132 years old and has exposed brick in a couple of rooms. In order to insulate it properly we'd probably have to renovate the entire thing. And the upfront cost is just... phew. Funny enough our neighbors got a heat pump last year, one of the Carrier mini splits, and all he had to say about it was "we overpaid". I'll have to really crunch the numbers and make sure, but dang, I'm disappointed. Not by you, just by reality, as usual - this is exactly the kind of info I needed right now and I thank you for all of your efforts here 💙

[@TechnologyConnections]

It's shameful! We are so set up to have heat pumps, but domestic availability is generally quite crap and the HVAC trade really likes to gouge for mini-splits. There are some issues that will need to be solved on a case-by-case basis, for sure, but Asia has innovated some amazingly flexible equipment - if only Carrier, Lennox, York etc. would kick into gear and start copying their successes.

[@SupremeRuleroftheWorld]

actually old houses are fine to use a heat pump UNLESS there has been zero upgrades done in the past 50 years but at that point you might want to invest in some double glazing first. please get this basic concept to get your mindset correct: insulation (or lack thereof) only tells you how much energy you need to heat your home, not how to get said heat into the home. your home does not care if the kW's come from a heat pump or a gas furnace, heat is heat. the only thing you want to focus on is keeping the water temperatures (if you use radiators) as low as possible. i have converted dozens of very old homes over the years. not once have i failed in making the home gas-free.

[@jkfeatherranch]

As long as you can get into the ceiling you can do it yourself and it's really not that hard. We've already installed four in our house ourselves and we're working on another one this week. If your house is all brick you just definitely have to go up through the ceiling instead of through the wall like we've done but it's definitely doable yourself.

[@jkfeatherranch]

@@SupremeRuleroftheWorld we are putting insulation into our walls and our ceiling because our house was built in 39 has no insulation at all. It makes a huge difference to have the insulation. But yeah heat pumps would have worked without insulation but they definitely use far less electricity when the house is properly insulated. The difference was night and day when we finished our attic last week. So much cooler.

[@SupremeRuleroftheWorld]

@@jkfeatherranch make no mistaker. insulation helps ofcourse. but you would have need to spend the same energy to heat it with gas or past hopes and dreams as you would with a heat pump. the bottom line on the amount of energy you need does not change. you would also save the same amount if you would only insulate and keep the existing system.

[@ericq47]

Regarding the units that can transfer heat between rooms, I see this applying to multi-story houses. All of the ones that I've lived suffered from significant temperature differences between floors; someone is always hot or cold and compromise here just leads to neither party being comfortable. Individual room control with the heat moving between rooms sounds very nice. Thanks for the great video!

[@Wegetsignal]

This and two other KZbin channels are solely responsible for my newfound heatpump obsession on absolute efficiency, I love the technology!

[@ki85squared]

Technology Connections has to now be a force for good in the consumer energy space, mere months after conquering "Big Dishwashing" capsules. Keep preaching anti-"but sometimes", Alec.

[@MedlifeCrisis]

I’m starting to think you quite like these heat pumps

[@IanGrams]

What is a heat pump if not the heart of the home? I just hope Alec isn't asked to attend to a malfunctioning one on his next flight.

[@letopizdetz]

It was really strange for me to realize people have AC's that can't switch the flow from cooling to heating... Every unit I had in the last 20+ years does this. Now I need to read up on efficiency for my next purchase.

[@cody9409]

We recently purchased a home that had a heat pump, first time ever seeing one. It’s awesome and I would highly recommend. Thanks for explaining how they work!

[@neillthornton1149]

With my whole house Carrier Infinity Heat pump, I can stand right next to it when it's at full bore and have a conversation. It's an amazing unit and a shame that more people don't get on board. Even when I specifically told the HVAC company that I wanted a heat pump they looked at me as if I was some crazy person. But now I am laughing all the way to the bank.

[@coredumperror]

I'm working on convincing my parents to replace their decades-broken AC system and 60-year-old furnace with a heat pump, and this video going into specifics about brands that can be used to replace such an existing system is especially great for that! They've been getting hit *really* hard by their gas bills in recent years, which is the main reason I'm getting through to them about a heat pump being a good idea. Though I imagine that insulation is probably an equally, if not more important thing to do, in their 1960s-built California home. I *know* their windows are garbage, but they have over a dozen BIG ones, and several are these old-style "bulging window frames" where there's a huge empty frame with a shelf *outside* the walls, and *then* the window panes themselves in this elaborate metal edifice with several panes of glass per window. It'd be ridiculously expensive to replace all these windows... But they did just get their entire attic cleaned out, so adding new insulation up there might well be fairly easy. But they *also* need a new roof soon, onto which they intent to add solar panels. So these home improvement costs are getting astronomical... Oi.

[@_aullik]

If you want solar, think about combined solar. Meaning PV and heating. the heating won't be enough for the home, specially in the winter, but its something. Working together with a heat pump that should be cheaper than just going all in one one technology.

[@Cloudrak]

Try and look around for incentives for things like solar. You can usually get some sort of grant.

[@the_retag]

Maybe only replace bathroom windows? And get some fancy european triple glass ones

[@coredumperror]

@@the_retag They *do* need that, seeing as how their bathroom windows are particularly bad. But that'll make so little difference as to be effectively meaningless for insulation improvement. That's just 2 out of the 15 windows that their house has, and they're easily the smallest out of all of them, too.

[@the_retag]

@@coredumperror yes, but bathrooms are usually heated the most. And if they are the worst windows as well...

[@WorldFactions]

This service has been amazing. Last July I bought a new house and I decided to start electrifying my house. So far we've upgraded the electrical service. Went with a 400 amp service for future proofing. $3600 Received a quote from a 14 seer heat pump, $12k, so we're going to DIY. A goodman 5 ton system is like $5500, and as you said, everything is all fully setup. No new lines to run, electric all setup. In 2021 my mothers house almost burned down due to a gas furnace malfunction. Apparently these malfunction a lot. An electric system is probably less likely to burn your house down.

[@_kikaso]

Homeowner in NYC here 🙋‍♂️ After finding a gas leak in September 2022, I was told by my energy provider that I would have to bring my 100-year old gas pipes up to code before I could get my gas turned back on. Plus, the city would need to come out and inspect work. All in, I was looking at a $14,000 job plus 6 weeks or 6 months time-I could never get a straight answer. Decided to go all-electric given we were facing down cold weather soon. Got a few quotes from some HVAC people ranging from $15,000 to $80,000 for a 72,000 btu heat pump system to replace my 90,000 btu gas steam boiler in my 1,300 square foot single family house. What sucked for me was that the state incentives for converting to all electric heat had run out and federal incentives wouldn’t be available until early 2023. I went with the cheaper option and couldn’t be happier. The install isn’t beautiful, felt like a DIY job if I’m being honest, but the system works well. Before converting to all electric, I must have spoken with a dozen plumbers who all told me that the heat pumps wouldn’t keep up with winter cold and getting rid of gas would devalue my home. I think the HVAC installers all quote on the high end because they know one quarter to half of the cost is being covered by government incentives. NYC has passed legislation instituting a moratorium on new gas hookups in 2024 so I hope the HVAC industry gets their act together soon.

[@clifftrue6187]

I recently replaced my heat pump in Central Florida. I was surprised by several companies that were trying to talk me out of it. I asked a lot of questions pretending I didn't know about heat pumps and got a mix of good and bad answers. Also I had a 3 ton unit and just over by a few square feet to move to a 3.5 ton unit. In the end I found someone with very little markup for a heat pump, took time to add freon in my old leaking system to help determine if the current system would cool well enough and give me options that made sense. Luckily for me my Honeywell smart thermostat showed over 150 hours of use for heating in the winter. I had 7 quotes with only 3 that seemed like they understood heat pumps and the reasons they were valuable. A couple companies said that they just were not needed because it didn't get that cold. It got down in the 30's last winter which would have been too cold in house for me. I used heat pumps in Missouri and Kansas and they worked great until it got below 25 degrees Fahrenheit for the older units. Makes sense in most of US.

[@christopherdahle9985]

Promising as these are, and as far as they've come, I feel like I'm stuck in the mid '80s, shopping for a computer, and looking at paying $4000 for an 8088 running DOS 3 from floppies at 4mHz. Retrofitting my house with a heat pump was quoted last year at over $30,000, and that's really hard to justify when the existing boiler and occasionally leaky radiators heat the house pretty well for around $1500 annually. If electricity were free, I'm still looking at a 20 year break even point, assuming I've even got that many years left. I'd be happier to rip out the whole rusty, noisy system and replace it with a minisplit but as you mention, there just aren't a lot of contractors out there willing to do this for a fair price. I'm confident I could do the work myself, but it's just not in my aging bones to take on that sort of a DIY project anymore. The only hope for our planet is that my computer analogy is correct and that the $4000 desktop system evolves rapidly to become the $300 laptops we have to day, faster, cheaper, better and longer lasting. But to deploy heat pumps where they could make the most difference, not only reducing emissions, but creating financial stability for millions of families, is going to take an effort comparable to rural electrification, and I do not believe the US has the political will to carry it out.

[@justcommenting4981]

Hopefully a cash for clunkers type program, but to update our home environmental systems.

[@656hookemhorns]

@@justcommenting4981 cash for clunkers was a horrible wasteful program that did nothing to get older cars off the road. It was a backdoor bailout for auto manufacturers.

[@justcommenting4981]

@@656hookemhorns yea, but it did facilitate people buying new cars didn't it? The point was, some sort of program should exist to give an immediate incentive to switch to more efficient heating and cooling systems.

[@luipaardprint]

I've no idea how large your house is, but here in the Netherlands a family house running radiators can be refitted for something like 10.000 euros.

[@shoyrushoyru]

@@luipaardprint my fellow human that says 10 euros

[@Soruk42]

I'm in the UK, and previous owners of my home fitted a split system aircon unit in the extension which (at the time) wasn't connected to the radiator system in the rest of the house (and I use this room as my office/study). For the longest time I didn't use the heater in it as I had thought it was a typical electrical heater, that is, one that would swap my electricity bill with that of a regional data centre. However, one of your previous videos was recommended to me, right around the time I started working from home full-time in 2020 and made me take a closer look. Sure enough, in heating mode it is a heat pump as I could feel the cold air from the outside unit when running. Your video has likely saved me a fair bit on my utility bills instead of running my gas central heating on cold days as there's no need to heat the whole house when I'm basically living in the study during the working day.

[@electrictroy2010]

How you could confuse a air conditioner/ heat pump with resistance heating? Makes no sense to me

[@TheBodgybrothers]

It surprises me the USA market is so messed up on this subject. I had a 10kW ducted heat pump installed for a total cost of $9000 australian dollars. Into a house not built for ducting. 10kW is way over whats needed and it heats the house cheaply in winter and cools it really well in summer.

[@JustOneAsbesto]

I would really love a video on insulation specifically. All the types! My main questions are about environmental impact and fire safety. Also the environmental impact of flame retardants in home construction and furnishings, but that's a different video.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

Belida Carr has a good channel comparing building products, including several deep (itchy?) dives into the pros and cons of various types of insulation. She lives in Texas, so her videos are a little bit light on snow-belt applicability, but she presents her information clearly and is VERY up front when manufacturers give her tours and samples. kzbin.info

[@c0rnd0g_19]

First, if fire gets to your insulation, your house is already gone. We're using mineral wool insulation in our walls and traditional fiberglass in our ceilings as we remodel. Get the highest R value you can for the space you have. It will only pay for itself as time passes!!

[@JarrettWilliams99]

@@c0rnd0g_19 different types last longer in a fire or slow the fire down, giving you time to escape

[@Sekir80]

Hey, this channel has a lot more on insulation, this is just an example and channel guidance. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXmXgKygacuBrrM

[@kruleworld]

My landlord had a huge mansion that was built in the 1800s. it must not have ANY insulation, as they had to run the fires 24/7 to keep it warm during winter (and spring, and autumn). it was nice and cool in the summer, though.

[@MarksDIY]

Alec, thank you for pointing out the price gouging. I was turned away from an HVAC company for a mini split because they claimed they no longer had a mini split person. As if it is really any different to install. 3 others quoted 10k per indoor unit, the equipment was about $4500 shipped to me and they wanted $30k to do it, nothing more than greed. I ended up going with a MrCool unit that requires no vacuuming of line sets and is an easy DIY. If a local company had quoted me 12k to install a 3-4 indoor multi-zone system they would have gotten a sale instead they all wanted more than double that and therefore I did it myself over a weekend. The industry needs serious changes or else they will lose to more DIY options.

[@c0rnd0g_19]

Exactly. It makes no sense. Mini-split systems are MUCH more DIY friendly, so one would think they would want to hit that market with everything they have. Instead they're pushing against it and ultimately losing more and more business.

[@gav7507]

These prices are outrageous. I live in Australia and these sort of air conditioners are on virtually every house and there are so many companies that can install them. This is a price list accurate as of April 2022 converted into USD/Tonne for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries arguably the best brand, it used to be so much cheaper before COVID but everyone is putting their prices up. Make your own mind up looking at the below but even the 7 kW units that cool or heat an entire large house it's still only 1.5k usd 2.5 kW (1.0 tonne) $800 USD 3.5 kW (1.0 tonne) $1,000 USD 5.0 kW (1.5 tonne) $1,100 USD 7.0 kW (2.0 tonne) $1,400 USD Reiterating this isn't just installation, this is supplying the actual air conditioners, delivery, installation, labor, testing.... 5 year warranty For $10k I could install a 22 kw (>6 tonne) ducted unit into a 5 bedroom house with the entire house cooled or heated and probably still have heaps of cash left over. American labor is cheaper, why are your air conditioners so expensive!

[@magisworthsnaklepass5183]

Yeah, I got quoted $25k and $30k for a 4 zone system. It's new construction so not much crawling around. I figure two guys would take two days. Gonna DIY.

[@renakunisaki]

I'm sure they'll soon address that issue by making it illegal to do your own HVAC work.

[@MarksDIY]

The biggest issue for DIYers is that many HVAC companies will not service your system if it wasn't installed professionally. I am fairly confident if I ever have a failed part on my DIY installed unit, I'll struggle to find someone to fix it. But given the price difference of 30-40k for a 3 or 4 zone unit, I could easily buy 8 systems at the current price before my investment was a bad deal. I'll take those odds even if it is incredibly wasteful to essentially throw away a system if I can't fix it or get it fixed. The good news is they are relatively simple systems and parts replacement outside of the refrigeration loops is likely very doable. We'll see if I have any regrets in the future but so far I have none.

[@bradmerrion1798]

I just installed a Mitsubishi PUZ-A36 heat pump with a PVA air handler in my house in Cincinnati. I am so happy with my decision. The unit is super quiet and extremely efficient. I did put electric heat backup, but next winter I plan to leave the breaker off to it to see if I can make it through the winter without needing it. I bet it will do just fine without it. Thanks for the great video, information, and inspiration! Side note: it truest blows my mind that SO many people, even engineers, in the HVAC field think you cannot use a heat pump in northern climates…

[@kelseybowe8322]

Just moved into a new house that already has a heat pump system installed, had no idea how it worked. Very cool series, thank you!

[@DavidRomigJr]

When I moved into my house 6 years ago, it had a 5 ton single package single stage single speed heat pump with electric auxiliary heat under the house but it was 26 years old and dying. We replaced it under the California Energy Upgrade plan with a 3.5 ton split two state variable speed heat pump with electric auxiliary heat with two zones and it’s been really nice. The old unit was an American Trane. The new unit is a Bryant (Carrier). I asked for a 3.5 ton oven a 3 ton recommended because I didn’t understand why the previous was 5 ton. And the O terminal is the reversing valve pin for most thermostats but not Trane- I think it was C. Servicing my dying unit the HVAC contractor shorted the reversing valve and blew the fuse confusing it for common. I knew the difference because I downloaded the manual. Then when it frozen over, I diagnosed the defroster board was bad. They didn’t believe me and replaced it only to humor me and exclaimed it was bad when they saw scorch marks on the board replacing it- no they hadn’t check when I mentioned the symptoms matched- they just kept saying my filter’s probably dirty despite me having replaced it. I should not know more than the expert I hire to do the work. The contractor seemed familiar with ducts and coolant lines but seemed completely untrained on the electronics.

[@jkakari]

Poor understanding on the electronics has also been my experience with residential HVAC techs. When I had an AC replacement done a few years back, they did not understand how to hook up the Carrier condensor unit to the Carrier Infinity furnace (air handler) controls. They were about to do it wrong (probably would kill the thermostat/interface and/or the controller) when I brought them a copy of the manual (they didn't have one) and showed them the connections. They still didn't understand so they had to call back to the shop and confirm - but they followed the diagram eventually and it worked. They just seem really averse to RTFM - gotta look like they know everything I guess?

[@MonkeyJedi99]

An educated consumer is a consumer who can save a lot of money!

[@Steevo69]

The oversized “ton” rating is due to the stigma that you need double the cooling capacity for heating. In very cold climates you might, but just maintaining my system has improved its efficiency by another factor. Part of the maintenance was smacking the Taco superheat pump so it would make hot water that keeps the heating load balanced, it’s impeller had seized from buildup since the relay was bad.

[@StoryMode180]

That recreation of the startup sound for an AC was surprisingly good.

[@iamfrankstallone]

This video very much needed to exist. I have an all-electric house - in New Jersey. This dwelling is 1800 sq. with a dual-zone Lennox heat pump system that is 15 years old. The units are a 3 ton and 2 ton. It needs to be replaced. I also want to replace the existing ducts and add humidification/ERV. So far I have gotten two quotes. The first was $70k. The second was $45k. Now, I get it. Cost of labor and the higher end Lennox heat pumps do have their mini-split cousin parts in them to make them so efficient. But those prices were for the same outdoor and indoor hardware and installation. That's a $25k difference in price! My only rational thought for the first company bidding $70k was that they simply did not want the job. Bonkers?! 😆 YMMV but I am 100% with you that there is a premium added to services that set up heat pumps in this country. Thank you for taking the time and energy (hah) to do this series on heat pumps. I have been attempting to do research on the side for months. It's a lot of information, opaque pricing and generally not well talked about on the Internet.

[@Mrdrcaptaintroy]

I installed a Blue Ridge 2 head mini split system into my small (576sqft) home, and it was easy. My friend had a vacuum pump, and we did it all in probably 2 days of work, most of which was drilling holes in the block walls. I think all in it was less than $2500, and seems to work great. Thanks for the recommendation of a heat pump! Otherwise i would've gone with window units and space heaters lol.

[@JordanSugarman]

You're right about the price gouging going on. I live in the Seattle area and wanted to get a mini-split system installed last spring. The cheapest quote I could get for a 4-head 3 ton unit installed was 12K. The high end quote I got was 19K. I ended up going with the low bidder, but it turned out to be something of a mistake. The technicians really didn't know what they were doing and it took 4 follow-up visits and a different company with competent techs to figure out that they didn't tighten the flare connectors enough to stop them from leaking refrigerant. I blame part of the cost on inflation and demand, though. There are a lot of people retro-fitting similar systems for cooling around here as our summers are becoming increasingly hot and most of the existing houses weren't built with cooling systems. I'm still very happy I did it. The cooling made last summer's record high temperatures actually bearable, and our heating costs this winter have been significantly lower (we have a gas furnace).

[@shoyrushoyru]

i dont think it matters what kind of refrigerant device theyre installing. theres no reason why a company that works with any refrigerant devices wouldnt know how to tighten a connector so that refrigerant doesnt leak

[@docbrazen]

I live in a pretty high price area too. I have the common central ducted system with a condenser outside and a furnace/evaporator coil inside. My system was over 20 years old and the outdoor AC unit was dying, it was either fix it or replace the system. Decided this was a good time to switch to heat pump as I didn't want to risk a broken AC during the sweltering summer here and heating oil prices are only getting worse, epically with the current supply chain issues. Last year my AC broke in the middle of summer and it took over a month and a half to get a replacement part and I didn't want to go through that again. For a 3.5 Ton SEER 16 HSPF 9 heat pump + new air handler I was quoted anywhere from $9.5K to $14K (depending somewhat on the brand: Bryant was cheapest, Carrier & Trane was middle of the road, and Lennox was sky high). This was for a normal "entry level" single stage heat pump, not a mini-split, not a multi-stage or variable speed, and not a cold climate heat pump. When I looked at systems that were cold climate adapted, basically could pull heat even at 0F with very little loss in efficiency, the prices where through the roof! We are talking $18K - $30K! I wish there was more incentive to bring this new tech down to the masses, I think it could help a lot of people but right now the tech seems to be limited to only the premium and luxury models. I got quotes from 4 different vendors so it wasn't an outlier.

[@MorrieLow]

Hi Jordan, what companies did you get quotes from? I’m in Seattle and looking for more estimates to do a swap of my oil furnace for a heat pump and air handler using my existing ducting. Thank you

[@pamike4873]

My Mom and Dad built their first home in 1975, a year after my birth. They decided to go with a heat pump. It's in Zone 5b if you're familiar with agricultural zones. Our winters are frikkin cold and our summers are hellishly hot and humid. It's normal to see 95° F with 90% humidity and -10° F with high wind. For the first decade, that heat pump was the only source of heat in the house. And this was using 1970s heat pump tech. That unit was replaced...6 years ago. What a trooper of a heat pump. Yes, it had emergency resistance heat, but it was rare that it called for it. You knew in an instant when it turned on, as the dust would burn off and produce that distinctive smell. Well, that and the big red light on the thermostat, lol. A heat pump is one of the most energy-efficient ways to heat your home, even in northern states with cold winters.

[@odo324]

I LOVE these videos about household efficiency! Anything to keep my potential house costs down with the price of everything dramatically rising! Thank you!

[@johnpeters9254]

I love listening to you talk shop and your tone fits perfectly. You've even helped me understand a job i was interested in more!

[@tomasnielsen5132]

We have 4 heat pumps in our house in Sweden. 2 were installed while it was still affordable. 2 I installed myself. I'm in the laptop class so not the usual work I do but it probably took me a couple of hours more than a trained refrigerant professional. And I even cleaned up after the install. ;)

[@endingpop]

I have to say that my experience lines up with your anecdotes. I live in NC USA so I need both heating and cooling, but more cooling. I added a Mitsubishi minisplit to my garage so I could work out in it during the summer comfortably (and I love it!). The first company I called that had serviced my home's barrel style heat pump didn't do minisplits at all for some reason. Later I had my A/C go out in August due to a cracked coil and the recommendation was to replace the condenser and coil given the age of the system. I wanted a variable speed system with high efficiency, but that would have been a 2 month wait and more than double the cost, even though the installation would have been essentially the exact same. I didn't want to go months without HVAC, so I got something very similar to what was originally installed, which is a 14 SEER unit. In the winter the aux heat comes on for a lot of the time and I end up further supplementing with my gas fireplace. I hate it. For a future video I think you should do something on HRV/ERV units that are installed in very airtight homes, like those following the passive house standard. It's a very interesting technology and I think we ought to be pushing codes much closer to passive house standards for both insulation and air tightness. They are dramatically more energy efficient, and have additional benefits including much better indoor air quality (and in NC we have horrible pollen in the spring) and are much, much quieter indoors. Homes like this can often get away with a much smaller HVAC system, and the "lego-like" split systems you talked about are great options there.

[@c0rnd0g_19]

The biggest sin here is they installed a 14 SEER unit in 2021. There's no excuse! It's also (obviously) not engineered for the NC climate (I live in extreme NE GA, so similar climate). A decent mini-split system is 22 SEER and will heat to (at least) -5F without inefficient heat strips. Why they don't make ducted systems with the same specs is beyond my comprehension.....

[@jimhailwood2873]

Some of the most comprehensively researched and well presented technology videos I’ve seen. Cudos to you. You have yourself another subscriber. 👍👍

[@JennaGetsCreative]

The pricing going on right now blows my mind. We installed a heat pump with a single head in our split-level house when we bought and improved it in 2016. Purchase and installation was about $6,000 CAD in 2016, under $5,000 USD. We paid an electrician to come out ahead of time and prep a breaker circuit for the unit, which was coincidentally super cheap because for some reason this house had two oven circuits even though we only have one kitchen, so a great circuit was just sitting there empty, waiting to be used. It may be important to mention that 1) we bought through the installer, who runs a one-man show, and 2) the Newfoundland provincial government is really pushing for non-gas heat solutions.

[@AlexBesogonov]

Hydronics is very underrated. It allows to add a whole new level of flexibility. For example, you can use the hot water tank to shift the heating (or cooling) demand by preheating or precooling it in advance, when the electricity costs are lower. You also can use hydronics with head units that simply run hot/cold water through heat exchanger instead of refrigerant.

[@volvo09]

I like hydronic heating. Simple zone control, nice and quiet. My last house had hydronic heat. My new (old) house has hot air (from a wood burning furnace with oil backup).

[@TheNightwalker247]

Plus hydronic heating systems dont move the air as much. So there is less dust in the air. Shifting the demand with hot water could be quite benificial when you have solar or a smart tarif where you pay the actual price. Being able to only heat when the grid has to much power could be good for the grid if millions of homes could shift their heating demands on cue

[@TheNightwalker247]

In our new farm house we added a layer of clay onto the brick walls. Then wood shaving insulation panels and another clay layer. Next the pex tubing and another thick layer of clay. The whole wall is open for steam release but with good insulation values and lots of thermal mass. Another benefit of this style are lower temps in the lines (better for heat pumps) and the moisture regulating properties of clay. We are going to install solar, a heat pump,plus a sensible heat store (insulated water tank). When the sun is shining we will preload the walls and tank in the daytime and use the heatpump less at night.

[@Baxtexx]

Yep, if you already have radiators I would pick water/air heatpump everyday. They are more efficient, has better distribution and warm water.

[@sprockkets]

Space pak has such a system.

[@GranRey-0]

2:37 Yes! Insulation! Save the energy! :) (Am a mechanical insulator as I've said before on this channel, so I appreciate the acknowledgment) In Vancouver BC, the very building where I live's parkade has ~200ft of exposed 2" piping that is our heating supply and return pipes for the in-suite radiators. I have let them know as the building managers have just replaced the roof, envelope and windows to save on energy, but haven't insulated. They're now litigating us to increase the rent $50/mo more to pay for their past upgrades, which has me begging the question of what is our rent paying for if not the maintenance of the building?

[@Ariccio123]

You might as well just start insulating it yourself 🤣

[@thisismyuniquestory]

Thanks for producing such a informative balanced and accurate video about heat pumps in particular but so much else gets a mention, VRV, inverters and more. I'm a Brit who was taught by guy's, all men who had been through a war and then back into industry, we all worked for a US air heating company who was diversifying. 1970 Condensing broilers, natural gas, the manufacturing hadn't arrived. Heat pumps did arrive by 1980 as a cooling unit for cellar cooling for hundreds of pubs with below ground cellars. The heat transfer was to pre heat a first stage hot water cylinder for a constant three to one energy gain 365 days. I was told by Toshiba I installed the first Tosh heat pumps in the UK. An a/c pipework only installed the units. An electrical contractor wired, I was to make the final connections, vac and charge with some publicity shots. The installation was a mainframe computer that would never require heating forever, cooling only at a kW in equals a kW output. The ad agency went away happy and the chief engineer took me out to dinner as I was staying the night. I tried to pay but he said no quite forcibly and smiled. He said the IT manager would be paying, he thanked me being honest as he had insisted the computer room would never require heating but his !level of science the IT produced literature that the heat pump would save money.

[@Caspiankhw]

Brilliant episode as always kind sir! I truly appreciate your attention to detail in your research and presentation, including the closed captions :) You're helping the world in ways you may never know. Keep up that egregiously good jazz :D

[@markmuir7338]

Like your brother, I also live in San Diego. When I bought my house 8 years ago, the house had a dodgy gas furnace and no AC. A heat pump was a no-brainer. I shopped around, and at the time, Lennox offered the most efficient system (XP25: 24 SEER), which was only $3000 more expensive than the 13 SEER base AC-only models + gas furnace every installer was pushing. Besides two bizarre hardware failures caused by bad firmware, I've been very happy with it. Paired with solar, the only cost to operate it has been maintenance. The service techs always comment about how rare and fancy this unit is, which saddens me - it should be standard by now!

[@gaggamonster]

First of all, i just think your content is great. I'am ac tect in Finland and heatpumps are very common here (i have two in my house). We dont really have gas lines in residental homes. Most common here in new houses, for ac is thermal heatpumps. For the older houses we instal mainly air to water heatpumps. Each system are easy to change for cooling, but its pretty standard here. Now days i work at nucreal powerplan cooling systems, but i think its funny that refigeneration works here the same... Just for larger shale 😁 Keep on the good work. Best Regards form Finland.

[@drooskeedoo3388]

This channel is a modernized version of the educational videos I remember as a kid with a touch of sass. Excellent

[@IanSeabrook]

I think the HSPF vs COP discrepancy at 24:20 is due to HSPF accounting for the occasional use of auxiliary heat aka toaster oven heat (COP=1). The COP rating on the NEEP list is accounting for the refrigerant cycle efficiency only.

[@electrictroy2010]

It’s called resistance heating. My thermostat has an override to Not use the auxiliary resistance heat… though I’ve never seen it turn-on except below 0 degrees .

[@zeeiii6857]

I've had similar experiences with even the simplest of minisplit installations. For a tiny minisplit installation like you had where it's right opposite an exterior wall they wanted to charge me $3k+ in labor or $5k to use their minisplit. Which is insane because I spent that much (~$5K) on replacing a whole furnace+evap 2ton unit. I just wanted some tiny supplementary cooling for my computer room. I ended up getting a cheap pioneer unit like yours and having a handyman do the install for

[@uigrad]

We had a minisplit put in just over a year ago, and I am so glad that I paid the exorbitant prices from a local HVAC company instead of doing it myself. Every 2-3 months, it would lose the last of its refrigerant, and we would need to have it serviced. I got to know the technicians (pretty much all the ones this company had), since they were in our house so frequently. They were extremely knowledgeable and capable, and seemed to assure us each time that the problem was actually solved, but, as you can tell, it wasn't. Eventually the head was completely replaced, and that fixed the issue, but before they reached that point, there was at least 60+ hours of work spent trying to diagnose and fix our lines. Even though it was a bit more than a year (the term of our warranty), the installation company never charged us a dime, which is amazing since for every hour they spent installing this unit, they spent 10 hours on service calls, not to mention at least a thousand dollars on refrigerant (it was replaced probably 8 to 10 times in that year+). I think this is why quotes are so high. Even though most installs are painless, there are a few like mine where everything keeps failing, and you can't charge the customer for it because it is not their fault.

[@aaronduerksen1378]

@@uigrad "I think this is why quotes are so high...you can't charge the customer for it because it is not their fault." They DID charge the customer for it. Up front! They need to eat that instead, so that they actually produce decent stuff that works in the first place. Yes, I know they're trying to save money by cheaping out on everything, and so the cost of the equipment will be a bit higher to go with the lower failure rate. But when you figure in the cost of labor to troubleshoot and repair afterwards, especially when the problem is not trivial as in your case, that's really where the expense comes from. Aaaand then we have perverted schemes where the equipment and the labor are on different sets of books, and it becomes profitable to keep the labor up. Similar to McDonalds' ice cream machines that contractually must be the specific "investor special" model that requires regular service calls on purpose. (google that; you'll see what I mean) At least HVAC hasn't gotten to the "on purpose" part yet...

[@xeridea]

Me and my brother installed mine ourselves, and paid a company like $150 ton connect the lines, vacuum, and test. Had to call several companies, many didn't want to come just hook up lines, but it was well worth it. It is difficult to buy a vacuum set, they hold them hostage unless you an installer, and charge regular folk triple price. It was cheaper to just pay someone to come out.

[@aaronduerksen1378]

@@xeridea What I'd like to know is, why do building and automotive systems have to be incompatibly different? It's the exact same process, with the only difference being an accessory belt vs. a dedicated AC motor. And you can get all the parts and tools you want for the automotive version, some of which even comes with instructions. But no, someone decided that they have to use (slightly? maybe in name only?) different refrigerants, and different fittings to make it difficult to hook one up to the other.

[@xeridea]

@@aaronduerksen1378 From speaking with someone at a store trying to buy a vacuum pump, the reasoning is that the HVAC installers don't want regular folk to work on stuff, it would take away their business. So basically, to keep HVAC installers employed, and able to charge a lot. Kind of like how Apple goes out of their way to make servicing anything they make as difficult as possible, to get you to continue buying overpriced phones and laptops.

[@orion78fra]

Hello from France ! Loved this series on heat pumps, learned a ton of things. Just so you know, you pretty much convinced me to change my oil system with a heat pump. Plus, I won't have to order it 3 times a year ! You may even have conviced me to ditch out my water / radiator system now.

[@sucotronic]

Spaniard HVAC technician here. Just be sure to get a trusty brand (like Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Hitachi) because of future maintenance and parts availability ;)

[@razvanlex]

Just make sure to check if you can adapt to the air type heating based on an air to air heat pump, in my experience (with air conditioners in heat mode) they are not that pleasant and they make some noise. I've made a test this winter (I live in Romania) and for us is not a comfortable option so I'll try to buy an air to water heat pump to use withe the radiators (fortunately the house is pretty well insulated and the radiators are oversized so even with the actual gas boiler I almost never use the water in the radiators above 40-45 degrees Celsius even at -10/15 degrees.

[@mrboojay]

I’m glad my quote experience hasn’t been the same as what you’ve shared. I currently have Propane and no central AC, to get a heat pump installed with a 10-year warranty was $6k (when quoted, been a bit) and was told that’s just $600 more than a standard AC unit. I just haven’t been able to purchase it yet.

[@ChrisJones-fn6tw]

I'll be honest, I don't have a great deal of interest in this subject, BUT that someone is willing to go through so much work to produce a video this informative is really awesome, and I hope it gets the attention of people who can make things happen.

[@ProfessorJayTee]

I'm in Japan. Many of our indoor a/c head units need separate 110v/50-60Hz power. But apartments are now built with the required electrical outlet already high up on the wall right next to the usual location for an air-conditioning unit. Homes must have outlets in each room that might need one, etc. They're pretty good with this stuff. Then again, we almost all use natural-gas instant water heaters, too. Awesome to take a shower or run a bath with zero worry that you could "use all the hot water" someone else might want. I never want to see a hot water "tank" again.

[@davereichert]

I would love to re-insulate my house, install new windows, and look into switching into a heat pump with gas for emergency heat, but we also need programs to assist folks who own older homes that contain asbestos. What would be a relatively simple (yet not inexpensive) reinsulation project turns very quickly into something completely uneconomical when the ridiculous cost of asbestos abatement is factored in. It almost turns it into one of those "It's cheaper to demolish" situations, but I can't justify the cost and disruption to my life in order to do this. So I'm stuck - I can't afford a better home because home costs have gone crazy, and I can't afford to resolve issues in my current one in order for my life to become "greener". Sigh.

[@naxxtor]

It's surprising how many homes have some kind of complicating factor like this - and they're the ones that would benefit the most from upgrades! Although asbestos removal can be inexpensive. Recently had a contractor look at my asbestos drainpipes - and they said they'd have to remove them but they could double bag them leave them here and we (as residents, rather than a company) can get a local authority to take them for free. If they took it away (as a company) they'd need an asbestos license and to pay per kg. In my case - I want a heat pump but don't qualify for a grant because I don't have cavity wall insulation. I can't get cavity wall insulation because of concrete gutters - they're known to fail over time and leak onto the insulation, causing really bad damp problems - so no regulated installer will install it unless the gutter has a guaruntee'd lining. So in order to install a heat pump, I have to remove/reline my gutters 🤯🤯

[@davereichert]

@@naxxtor Certainly, sometimes asbestos removal can be fairly inexpensive, especially in the case of Vinyl Asbestos Tile, Pipe Insulation, Acoustical Ceiling Tiles, etc. In my case, there is use of Zonolite-Sawdust/Asbestos insulation in the walls and ceiling spaces. Tearing open all the walls - even the upper level floor (which used to be an attic) to remove it - would mean I'd have to move out completely in the process. I'd be willing to bet that the cost would be $30-40k just to have it removed, then add the costs of putting whatever new back (foam, fiberglass, etc) and then new wallboard, paint. It's a nightmare.

[@MrCheeto01]

Yes, I would also like the government to pay for my choices as they can be expensive

[@davereichert]

@@MrCheeto01 No. I don't need the government to pay for all of my "expensive" choices. However - the real estate industry does a piss poor job of informing buyers and obtaining disclosure from sellers regarding the presence of things like asbestos, lead paint, and other hazardous materials. It has also been a sellers market for many years, and as a buyer in this climate you don't really get the opportunity to get thorough inspections of houses if there are multiple people bidding on every shitty house you can barely afford. Additionally, governments do a terrible job of informing potential homebuyers of the probability of their new homes containing these hazardous materials, and the risks posed by them, or the expense involved in mitigating them. Also, many younger folks do not understand the building materials and practices that were used to build these older homes, and moreover - don't really have a "choice" as you suggest. They have a budget, and the market determines what areas they can buy in, and what vintage of house they can afford. It's not like they teach kids how to choose and buy a home in school. I guess they just expect that nobody will be able to afford to buy anymore? Sadly, it seems like we're headed in that direction. Our governments outlawed things like asbestos and lead paint, lead pipes, etc., all for public safety reasons decades ago - but yet, the effort to ensure that younger generations are informed about them have mostly disappeared. Why? Maybe they don't want to get in the way of the real estate bubble, and the revenue they earn from it. So now a new generation is stuck with these houses that aren't worth what it would take to either remediate/renovate, or demolish and rebuild - and the folks living in them can't afford to do either, because they could barely afford them in the first place. Anyway, I "chose" to buy a house I could afford and get out of my parents' basement and not become a KZbin comment troll. It only takes one uninspired comment to see what your choices were.

[@grn1]

@@davereichert My Mom (and by extension myself) are looking for a house and fortunately we have a good agent that actually tells us about this stuff and looks for issues like water damage (tons of homes have undisclosed water damage). Most agents don't do this and as a result people are bidding much higher for homes than they should thus further driving the prices up. I do remember learning about asbestos and such as a kid but then I'm 32 so I don't know how common that knowledge is amongst the typical first time home buyers who really don't have any money. (For those curious/irrationally angry that I'm 'wasting my life living with mommy' I could afford to move out on my own but even with my decent paying job I'd almost certainly be stuck renting which is just throwing my money away rather than saving up and still being able to buy some nice stuff for myself like the mid tier gaming PC with dual monitors I'm using right now).

[@binarypower]

i bought a mini split based on your videos. loving it. it's so quiet. I can't wait for a really hot or cold day. i can finally wear a shirt indoors. thank you!

[@Sirmooshalot]

Seriously appreciate such good research on an important, practical subject like this. Good use of the skills and platform!

[@Lizlodude]

That stock footage was remarkably related, actually... 38:05 gotta love hard-starting a long-abused brushed AC motor! Really looking forward to more variable speed systems and super-small systems, I want to build out a van eventually and would love to put an adorably tiny heat pump in there to keep the temp under control.

[@Spawnmmjtf2]

Hey…. You got me! I live in northern Quebec, Canada…. I just install a 18000 BTU mini split …. Had to run the gas lines across the whole house in the attic. It only had 4 inches of fibreglass panels.. 1000$ later, and 2 days of hot sweating and itching.. my attic now as between 12 and 16 inches of insulation (r40 to R60)…. Looking forward at my electricity bill this summer! Side note.. darn the fibreglass insulation is expensive now…. 80$ per packs here..

[@realryleu]

the “but sometimes” kinda applies everywhere “why don’t you use linux?” “well sometimes random games don’t work” it’s become rare now, tech has improved since the last time you heard about it, joe!

[@jessefloyd4835]

One of the only channels that I can like the video before actually watching it. It's obvious that so much work and prep goes into these videos. Truly entertaining to watch and informative. That's the perfect combination in my book!

[@manolismarinakis8444]

watching these videos made me realize what confused me when people talked about A/C and heating... as it turns out many used A/C as synonymous with cooling, which is crazy-talk as where I live the A/C unit has always been capable of both cooling and heating. Just to clarify, central heating systems are really common.

[@MarkoPetejan]

I'm confused too. AC as "air conditioning" here is used in terms of HVAC as "heating, ventilation and air conditioning". As all split systems have heating and cooling, but some also ventilation and humidity control

[@mattymerr701]

That shit always annoys me. Air conditioning is temperature and humidity control. It was originally invented to control humidity. Using it only to mean cooling is just stupid

[@Quickened1]

I think it has something to do with the automobile industry. Cars almost always had heaters, but AC was an option. Basically, people began to equate AC with cooling, and heaters with heating. So when it came to heating and cooling the home, the trend carried over... Usually, it's only those who've had at least some level of education in air conditioning, that understand that it includes both and then some...

[@DanielFenandes]

In some parts of the world like tropical countries, A/C units are only capable of cooling

[@Quickened1]

@@DanielFenandes that's true in all parts of the world! An ac unit, and the science of air conditioning, are two different things. Technically, AC means the conditioning of air by cooling, heating, humidifying or dehumidifying, etc...

[@noahbleam2805]

I love your out takes it reminds me that I’m not alone when doing multiple takes for school projects.

[@icarus313]

This channel is nothing short of legendary. You could tell me that paint drying is fascinating and I would 100% believe you.

[@dueljet]

I have worked on heat pumps for 15 years. More specifically, I serviced over 400 of them on a highrise built in the mid 1980s. It was great for the owner as they only had to pay to maintain a 70° water loop. They were efficient but noisy.

[@dueljet]

@@asbestosfibers1325 I mainly serviced Whalen and Florida heat pumps. They were packaged really tightly. The only real water leaks that I dealt with were on the flexible supply and return hoses and an occasional clogged condensate drain. As for refrigerant, the cap tubes would rub and leak.