Sigarms
Super Member
Pilot, getting off the subject to some extent, but with anything mechanical, you have possible issues.
I know of some who have nothing but issues with oil furnaces. Amazingly, most of the people who have issues with oil furnaces are those without Bacharach kits.
Some people are amazed that HVAC equipment should also be serviced on a yearly basis, not three years later when there is a problem. When you buy a car, you need to have the oil changed every so often. Don't change the oil, low and behold, you will have issues. You would be amazed at some of the issues you can get if you don't change your air filter (not that you have to pay someone to change the air filter, but some simple maintance is required. Seems that a lot of people think you can just leave the system run for years, not have it serviced and it should run like a champ with no potential problems).
I guess my point is that in my experience, if ANY TYPE of system is installed and service correctly, you will, on average, have minimal issues "down the road". Per your statement, you're generalizing (sp?) that with a heat pump system, you service costs will be higher than any other type of system, and what gather as chances increasing with problems because it is a heat pump, which I find wrong. Guys in the business will remember Carriers new variable speed motor in thier gas furnaces. God forbid if one of those early motors went out on you (more than a compressor in a heat pump I assure you).
You have your experiences to draw your feeliings, likewise, I have my experiences. Amazingly, some people who are not familiar with certain types of HVAC systems have more issues with those who are familiar with them. That said, in the south, heat pumps are a large segment of the HVAC market place, thus perhaps, more techs are famiiar with thier operating systems when installed on a regular basis. On average, for the six years since I've been in the south, I see no increase percentage wise in failure in heat pump systems than I do with gas furnaces or air conditioning systems. Keep in mind, heat pumps probably sell four to one over other types of systems, thus, failure wise, you will have more issues. Heck, when I first came down here, I had no clue what a "gas pack" was because the only thing I called them up north was a packaged system that we normally mounted on a roof instead on the side of a residential house.
When you mention "failure" within 10 years, I'm not sure what failed, so I have no clue what the bill was for. I can only assume it was most likely for a Compressor or replacment of the entire coil. On that note, again percentage wise, see no difference in "bad" compressors between straight a/c units or heat pumps.
Everything said, I didn't know what a heat pump was until the early 90's, and per you post, you mentioned the early to mid seventies (as far as what I gather your experiences are from), on that time frame, I have no clue, perhaps your correct, perhaps they were nothing but a pain and parts were through the roof at that time.
I can only add that for one of my systems, I replaced the gas furnace/ac with a duel fuel heat pump March of last year (for my house).
I might add that I know some people who would never have an oil pack (know what that is?
) in thier house along with some other types of systems due to the quality of instal and service that they recieved.
I know of some who have nothing but issues with oil furnaces. Amazingly, most of the people who have issues with oil furnaces are those without Bacharach kits.
Some people are amazed that HVAC equipment should also be serviced on a yearly basis, not three years later when there is a problem. When you buy a car, you need to have the oil changed every so often. Don't change the oil, low and behold, you will have issues. You would be amazed at some of the issues you can get if you don't change your air filter (not that you have to pay someone to change the air filter, but some simple maintance is required. Seems that a lot of people think you can just leave the system run for years, not have it serviced and it should run like a champ with no potential problems).
I guess my point is that in my experience, if ANY TYPE of system is installed and service correctly, you will, on average, have minimal issues "down the road". Per your statement, you're generalizing (sp?) that with a heat pump system, you service costs will be higher than any other type of system, and what gather as chances increasing with problems because it is a heat pump, which I find wrong. Guys in the business will remember Carriers new variable speed motor in thier gas furnaces. God forbid if one of those early motors went out on you (more than a compressor in a heat pump I assure you).
You have your experiences to draw your feeliings, likewise, I have my experiences. Amazingly, some people who are not familiar with certain types of HVAC systems have more issues with those who are familiar with them. That said, in the south, heat pumps are a large segment of the HVAC market place, thus perhaps, more techs are famiiar with thier operating systems when installed on a regular basis. On average, for the six years since I've been in the south, I see no increase percentage wise in failure in heat pump systems than I do with gas furnaces or air conditioning systems. Keep in mind, heat pumps probably sell four to one over other types of systems, thus, failure wise, you will have more issues. Heck, when I first came down here, I had no clue what a "gas pack" was because the only thing I called them up north was a packaged system that we normally mounted on a roof instead on the side of a residential house.
When you mention "failure" within 10 years, I'm not sure what failed, so I have no clue what the bill was for. I can only assume it was most likely for a Compressor or replacment of the entire coil. On that note, again percentage wise, see no difference in "bad" compressors between straight a/c units or heat pumps.
Everything said, I didn't know what a heat pump was until the early 90's, and per you post, you mentioned the early to mid seventies (as far as what I gather your experiences are from), on that time frame, I have no clue, perhaps your correct, perhaps they were nothing but a pain and parts were through the roof at that time.
I can only add that for one of my systems, I replaced the gas furnace/ac with a duel fuel heat pump March of last year (for my house).
I might add that I know some people who would never have an oil pack (know what that is?
) in thier house along with some other types of systems due to the quality of instal and service that they recieved.
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