Heat Pumps: the Future of Home Heating

It feels obligatory to reference Technology Connection in a thread about heat pumps. TC is a super fun YouTube channel that digs j to everyday technology and has had a number of episodes on heat pumps and modern thermodynamic management challenges and technologies. ▶ this video

in “Interest in heat pumps has increased dramatically in recent years” · View on HN

They are great if you are looking to use electricity to heat because they are 3 to 4 times more efficient than resistive heaters. It depends on the price of electricity and other heat sources in your area. If you live in the north where temperatures go below -15 Celsius, air-to-air units aren't as great because they lose efficiency as it gets colder outside. My heat pump has a COP of 3, meaning it can generate as much heat as a resistive heater using 1/3 the electricity, but it shuts off at -15 Celsius because below that point it is less efficient than resistive heat. If your heat pump has a COP of 4, you might get to -25 Celsius before it is less efficient than a resistive heater. Better, but more costly, heat pumps use in-ground water, either from a pair of wells, or from a deep pond that won't freeze to the bottom, or from many meters of water pipe buried deep enough beneath your lawn to not freeze in the winter. Because of the depth, they always have access to the earth's heat so they don't lose efficiency in the winter. The Technology Connections YT channel has a couple of good videos about how them: 1. ▶ this video 2. [link]

in “Homemade Heat Pump Manifesto (2009)” · View on HN

I feel like it's almost a requirement to take this opportunity to share Technology Connections great video [1] on the topic. Personally, I've used a heat pump as the sole heating unit for my house for the past 6 years or so. There have been a few cases where I've opted to use an extra blanket, but overall the results have been pretty impressive, and the cost savings are pretty huge. (Apartment, so no fuel heat, it's electric or nothing) [1] ▶ this video

in “Heat pumps: what they do and why they’re hot now” · View on HN

Technology connections did a great video on heat pumps. ▶ this video One of the best things is that is an air conditioner you run in reverse to get some heating.

in “Heat pumps are efficient and eco-friendly. So why are they so rarely used?” · View on HN

Thankfully, you are wrong about that! Just like you don't need a cooler source _from which to source cold_ in the summer with AC. Technology Connections has a fun (well, to me) video on how heat pumps work and are great. Literally just AC units running in reverse, thanks to having a valve. ▶ this video

in “No, you can’t save £30 per year by switching off your “standby” devices” · View on HN

There are highly efficient heat pump powered water heaters, going out anywhere remote, these and other heat pump systems should really be used. This is a really great overview ▶ this video

in “Building a modern home in the woods” · View on HN

Our house is electrically heated via a heat pump, which has appreciably more efficiency than a resistance heater (or computer). Here's a neat video about them: ▶ this video

in “Ask HN: Those making $500/month on side projects in 2021 – Show and tell” · View on HN

> I'm wondering if there's any low-energy or green solutions to this. The answer is "it depends". How your flat is designed will have an impact on what you can do. But if you are able and willing to do some house work, there is a lot you can have control over. At the end of the day, it's all about how you can control humidity, the flow of hot and cold air and humidity. At your disposal, tools such as conductive materials, insulating materials, etc. Google "passive house" to see the concept and what these things use. With that said. Heat pumps are incredibly efficient, and replacing your heater with a reversible air conditioner which you can then run in both summer and winter will do far more for your overall energy efficiency than anything else you can do. Most of your energy consumption comes from winter-time heating. Start here for a good introduction to heat pumps and how they are so efficient: ▶ this video

in “The Ancient Persian way to keep cool” · View on HN

This video is a great explainer on heat pumps [1]. The TL;DR is that they are essentially nothing more than air conditioners that run in the opposite direction. Plus, a heat pump and an air conditioner can be combined into a single system. 1: ▶ this video

in “So you want to build a house more efficiently” · View on HN

> So the heat pumps can also do cooling during the summer? Here's a pair of really great videos about heat pumps and what they can (and could, in the future) do: ▶ this video [link]

in “Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?” · View on HN

> no wasted power Electric heating can be much more efficient than what's effectively resistive heating with 500%+ efficiencies being possible. Search for "heat pumps" or watch: ▶ this video

in “IBM employee forced to stop kernel work under personal email address” · View on HN

>heatpumps and other gimmicks Anecdotally, two of the smartest people I know love heat pumps—doesn’t Technology Connections too? Was probably this: Heat Pumps: the Future of Home Heating ▶ this video

in “What a year of solar and batteries saved us in 2025” · View on HN

> An A/C is a heat pump. Stop trying to change existing terminology I am not trying to change existing terminology, I am using existing terminology. Air conditioners (A/C) are devices sold to only cool a house: * [link] * [link] * [link] Heat pumps are devices sold to both cool and heat a house: * [link] * [link] * [link] See also US Department of Energy: * [link] And most definitively of all, Alec of Technology Connections : * ▶ this video

in “Heat Pumps – The Well-Tempered Future of A/Cs” · View on HN

The first answer tells you why you are wrong. Heat pump. It's a silly question trolling for the obvious first year engineering/high school answer, heat pump. In practice how heat pumps work in the artic circle might be interesting. But in practice light bulb in the article are probably working to government rules for the entire country. Or practical limitations like exposure to the cold or transport costs or what's getting mass produced in society. Post internet heat pumps have become quieter and far less in cost that's why they are popular now (and trolled for karma) Technology Connections talked about them in an ok vid - ▶ this video

in “Why bother buying efficient lights if you are already heating your house?” · View on HN