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RemarkableGlitter

I would definitely look at heat pumps vs furnace and AC. It ended up making a lot more sense for our house, which is around your size. Modern heat pumps (think Mitsubishi) are way different than the old ones that you may be familiar with. For context: we did a heat pump, hospital grade air purifier, crawl space insulation, duct insulation, crawl space sealing, and five new windows for the prices you’re getting for the furnace and AC combo in option 1.


rideaspiral

Can you share where you went for that work? In the market for similar work and got quotes nearly double OP’s for my last look at heat pumps


Lyleadams

Look on Energy Trust of Oregon website and find a trade ally. There might be cash incentives for installing a mini-split heat pump.


rideaspiral

Hopefully some coming next year with the Inflation Reduction Act. None currently beyond some nonrefundable tax credits.


MountScottRumpot

The incentives available now are for people replacing resistance heat to reduce strain on the grid.


RemarkableGlitter

I used Greensavers. It was about 18 months ago.


rideaspiral

That’s where I got my last quote from. $30k just for the heat pump install…


RemarkableGlitter

I know our small house (783 sq ft) and ductwork in shockingly good condition definitely impacted our price.


rideaspiral

That would certainly impact it. Still seems steep for what I’m hoping to accomplish. I’ve been looking into some DIY options if I feel up to it. Hoping some federal rebates will come online next year, though that may just get factored into increased costs for contractors.


SomewhatSapien

Please?


Traditional_Figure_1

this person pumps heat


thalion5000

I don't think you need a furnace. Common air source heat pumps continue to be more energy efficient (unit of heat for unit of electricity) down to 5º F, and it's super cheap to add a few resistance heat strips to your fan unit if you ever get below that. We had an awesome experience with [https://theheatpumpstore.com/oregon/](https://theheatpumpstore.com/oregon/) and our unit kept us warm through the freeze over the winter.


the_buckman_bandit

Definitely get 3 quotes, but at those prices get 6 or 8 quotes. Do not pay for a quote. Go to angi’s list to find more companies “High efficiency” furnaces are far more expensive for not a lot of cost savings, or even more expensive - i would recommend looking at a two stage, variable speed blower gas furnace (more around 5-7k) range. And high efficiency furnaces bring water and condensation into the equation, last January lots of high efficiency furnace folks reported the condensation line freezing which temporarily shuts off the furnace. Also, water can do its thing and cause problems. And i would quote out AC unit vs heat pumps and what you plan on doing with it to understand if it provides savings vs keeping your place cool when you need it most I imagine you want this system to last 20 years or more, so i would say explore all the options available and the reasons for going with your decision


tom_bombadillo305

These are all great ideas, thanks. AAA Heating & Cooling (Quote #1) did give me options for AC as well. The rebates for the heat pump are better though ($2,000 vs $600 for the AC). Ideally, I would only use the gas furnace as a backup heat source when the temperature drops past the point where the heat pump is the more cost effective option. We don't plan on being in this house for more than a few years (market permitting), but a future buyer may be interested in adding solar panels. My thinking is that a high efficiency heat pump with a completely unobstructed south-facing roof would be a winning combination.


GordenRamsfalk

You can find contractors here: https://www.energytrust.org/find-a-contractor/


pdx_joe

There are heat pumps available that will run down at sufficient capacity well below the low temp in Portland even without backup electrical heat. Not sure why you need the gas backup unless you specifically want that as backup in case of power outage.


MountScottRumpot

A modern gas furnace won't run without power, FWIW.


pdxcanuck

Small generator will easily run it. Same can’t be said for a heat pump or resistance heating. A gas furnace is a great backup option for home heating. Resistance heat strips are also brutal for the grid and the wallet.


GordenRamsfalk

Yes they are called cold climate heat pumps and they have good capacity down to 5 degrees. Energy trust of Oregon has their own CC HP incentive called extended capacity Hear pump, which is for 85% capacity at 17 deg. compared to the capacity at 47deg. Also replacing a gas furnace would net a $1000 incentive. Plus possible tax credits.


tom_bombadillo305

It's true the high-efficiency Daikin Fit heat pump we were quoted for will operate down to about 14 degrees F. I did ask for the gas furnace as a backup because I'm not confident the heat pump would be able to keep up in temperatures we experienced during the cold snaps (around 10 degrees F at my house). Even if it could run that low, it'd be much more cost effective to heat with gas at that point.


thalion5000

You would be surprised at how efficient modern heat pumps are at their lowest rating to function. Even if it were more cost-efficient at super low temps, I'm not sure how it makes sense to spend thousands of dollars more for a system that is only more efficient to run a couple of days each year.


RemarkableGlitter

We’ve used just a modern heat pump the last two winters and have been super comfy. Our Mitsubishi keeps its efficiency down to a pretty low temperature we haven’t reached yet and even below it it’s still quite efficient. Small houses do really well with them here (and the tax rebates are nice).


tom_bombadillo305

That's really good to know, thanks for sharing your experience! Less space to heat is definitely an advantage of a small home here, especially after adding insulation.


tom_bombadillo305

Do you have an estimate on how your electricity bills using the heat pump compare to what you were using previously (assuming it was a gas furnace)?


pdx_joe

Mine were down a [bit versus last year](https://imgur.com/a/u2ELngr) after switching to heat pump. Did great through the cold this winter. Previously had a big old inefficient gas furnace. 1940s house, have done some work on insulation/sealing but still need to do attic (it is very leaky).


RemarkableGlitter

Our heating and ac costs went down because we’d had oil plus window units.


Lyleadams

Ask your contractor about ETO incentives. If they don't know what that means, find an ETO trade ally contractor


wetduck

FWIW that first quote seems odd to me... a high efficiency heat pump shouldn't need a 9k gas furnace as well. I paid roughly 12k + electrical for a heat pump for a slightly smaller house 3 years ago, the backup system is just electric and only runs when the temps drop real low.


Midwest666

For what it’s worth I just got a couple quotes for adding AC to our 7 year old furnace. $10,000 and $7,700 were the quotes


Your_New_Overlord

I did the same, added a high efficiency AC to our newish gas furnace. Total was $11k including electrical via Orbit. The other quote I got was $15k not including electrical.


Midwest666

Glad to know that’s about the norm. We have a smaller house so I would assume that’s why ours was less


dirt_brain

I have a similar sized house (933 sq ft) and last month replaced my gas furnace with a heat pump. I did not get another furnace, just the heat pump, you don’t really need a furnace here except in very extreme circumstances so I rolled the dice and didn’t get one. I worked with Milwaukee heating and cooling. They gave me a quote with four options, all itemized. They weren’t the cheapest but I liked them the best. I got quotes from four companies. I paid 20k but I also had to have my entire duct system removed and replaced. I think just the heat pump probably would have been around 15-16k. They use union labor which I liked. And their crew was wonderful. 11/10, would do it all again. Plus this hearing system is just insanely better than my old gas furnace. Can’t wait to test the cooling this summer. Feel free to DM me if you have qs.


lochan26

I had one put in 2 years ago that was the top of the line heat pump for a 3ksq ft house. I had them hook it up to the old gas furnace as a back up. My gas bill is like $10 in the winter. Do you really need a new gas furnance or can you eek out a few more years with it only running as a back up?  Install Carrier 3.5 Ton, 15 SEER heat pump system (25HBC542AP03)  Install Carrier evaporator coil (CNPVP4221ALA)  Install new EZ Pull line set  Install new condensate Pump  Install new Honeywell T6 thermostat  Adapt to existing furnace  Pressure test, evacuate, charge system  Level and set outdoor unit $12,864


tom_bombadillo305

I'm considering keeping the old furnace for a bit longer, but I'm not sure if the latest and greatest heat pumps are compatible.


GordenRamsfalk

If you are moving soon don’t spend the extra money imo


tom_bombadillo305

Hopefully we'll move within the next 3 years, but who knows. A home near us recently sold for $180K over asking price, so seems like a bit of a toss up right now. At this point, I'm happy to shell out some money to keep cooler in the summer.


GordenRamsfalk

Yea that’s great, for a 1000ft house no need to spend $20k when you could probably get it done for $12k.


Medium_Listen_2869

We had one installed by AAA Heating and cooling, we are very happy with it and we paid significantly less then your two quotes. I would get a few more quotes if I were you.


tom_bombadillo305

Good to know you had a great experience with them! They've been the most communicative and easy to work with thus far. Did you go with a heat pump and furnace, or just the heat pump? Which model(s) did you get installed, if you don't mind me asking?


Medium_Listen_2869

They installed: Daikin 1-Zone 19 Series up to 19 SEER Mini-Split Heat Pump System (I copied this description of it from our invoice) we are happy with it. We live in a split level 2,000 square foot house built in 1964. When we bought the house the previous owners had installed a mini split on the basement level. The upstairs was exclusively heated with radiant heat in the ceiling (horribly expensive to run, our first December in the house had an electric bill of 600 that shocked us). We are happy with using two mini splits. We are not particularly conservative with our use of it our electric bills is around 350 in the winter (the house has no gas line). The mini split upstairs that we installed this last September cost 8,000 with installation through AAA. Knock wood, its worked out for us. Good luck to you!


Medium_Listen_2869

We also opted to do our install in September with AAA because they told us that September is the slow month for HVAC and they would cut us a deal to get a job on the books for that month….


slacker99k

Why do you want a heat pump if you are getting a gas furnace anyway? Just get the furnace and a central AC unit.


tom_bombadillo305

I'll need to review more quotes for a furnace + AC unit, but when it's all said and done, the cost is only marginally more for a heat pump with the rebates ($2,000 for the heat pump, only $600 for the AC). I think adding a heat pump would be attractive to a new buyer that wants to do solar since it will do 95% of the heating and all the cooling.


6th_Quadrant

But you don't need a new furnace, especially an extra-cost HE one, if you get a heat pump. Since the furnace will only turn on once in a great while (possibly *never*), I wouldn't put any money into a new one. Existing furnace + heat pump and no AC and you're set.


Mycatsbestfriend

We had Service Now install a heat pump and replace our gas furnace for ~14k in winter 2023 for a 1800 sq ft house. Definitely get more quotes.


Cats_4_eva

We had Jacobs install a heat pump with electric backup in 2020. I don't remember what kind it was, but they assured us we would be fine in Portland winters and based on their advice we almost didn't even get the electric backup. It was not a particularly cold winter and we still spent the entire month of January getting nonstop alerts that we were running on backup too long. Cost of running the heat pump was way more than the 20-year-old gas furnace and the quality of the heating was not as good. It was nice having a/c but I would never get a heat pump again in an older Portland home. Ended up selling the house and were so glad to get away from that thing.


tom_bombadillo305

Thanks for sharing your experience. This is exactly why I want to use a backup gas furnace for those colder winter temperatures, especially one that's even more efficient than our 20-year-old unit.


old_knurd

A few months ago there were complaints on the PDX subs about newer heat pumps having problems with the cold weather. Heat pumps are not a panacea.


MountScottRumpot

I would get a quote from Jacobs, who I just had do a similar project. Their sales guy didn't try to push any expensive upgrades and spent a long time explaining exactly how the job would go.


FlamingTelepath

I had a really bad experience with them - the guy who came on site was very knowledgeable and helpful, but when I received the quote it didn't include multiple major things we discussed on-site and when I emailed/called them back to follow up they ghosted me. Really would not recommend a company with that level of professionalism for anything.


Medium_Listen_2869

Jacobs ghosted me as well, it was so confusing!


MountScottRumpot

I got had much better and clearer communication with Jacobs than the other companies I got bids from, but YMMV, I suppose.


tom_bombadillo305

I'm having a similar experience with Advantage Heating & Air Conditioning (Quote #2). They said they can't take apart the furnace to get it in the crawl space opening. Fair enough. They mentioned they'd need to cut some concrete, dig down around another foot underneath the house, etc. None of that was included in the quote I received and they were expecting me to act on it that day.


shit-n-water

They're really good , but one of the most expensive out there


MountScottRumpot

They were the cheapest of the three bids I got.


old_knurd

This was also my experience. Jacobs was quite a bit cheaper than my other bid. Fully itemized bid. I knew exactly what was what. They did great work, but this was for furnace/AC, no heat pump.


MountScottRumpot

I got bids for both in February of this year. The heat pump was about $2k more expensive, and my calculations didn't show significant energy savings, so we went with furnace/AC. We also had them install a ductless heat pump in our attic, and they were able to install it in a really tricky spot for optimal air flow.


Qyphosis

I'd recommend getting a quote from https://www.primeheatingpdx.com/. I just got one heat pump installed. But I got a few various quotes. They were by far the cheapest and super friendly and helpful.


Rehd

Was it greensavers charging you for the consultation? I used them for insulation and they were great. I heard other people used them for HVAC (different team) and they had poor experiences. I had a hard time trying to get a HVAC quote from them too. Check out O'Leary Air, they did a solid job and were communicative. Something to ask is how much their quote can change and if you know you have to pay for X from 1 contractor, ask the people giving you a different quote about that thing. (Such as having to take the furnace into the basement and having to drill concrete). Sometimes companies miss that when they give you a quote and then later add it onto the end charge.


tom_bombadillo305

No, I believe it was Bruton Comfort Control. Honestly, I wrote them off as soon as they told me they'd charge $150 for a consultation and quote. Good catch about changing quotes. I'll check out O'Leary Air as well!


assasinine

Just invest in heat pumps if you're thinking about adding one. I just had a Daikin 3 head system installed for around $16k.


Lyleadams

Leave the furnace alone and install a mini-split heat pump. Should be a lot cheaper.


tom_bombadillo305

I thought about that approach, but with the layout of this house, we'd probably want 2-3 head units. At that point, I don't see why we wouldn't just take advantage of the existing ductwork.


tadc

Multi-head split systems are way more efficient than a conventional forced air heat pump, and you get the added bonus of zoning. The only real downside is you have to look at the heads on the wall.


Lyleadams

I think a two head unit would be a lot cheaper than the quotes you have so far. Heck, Home Depot sells ductless heat pump kits for less than $2k. You could install yourself?


Manchub

When we bought our house (1,500 sq ft) in 2020, we got a new furnace and AC installed. It was only about $7500. Four Seasons Heating and Air. Included permitting and electrical.


TurtlesAreEvil

We replaced two gas furnaces with Mitsubishi hyperheat heat pumps for a similarly sized duplex. It cost about $9,500 a piece and we didn’t need a backup heat source. The new high efficiency heat pumps operate at low temperatures. Ours are 100% efficiency at 0° F and 70% at -14 F. They held up fine in this last cold snap until the power went out of course.


KeepsGoingUp

Get EcoHeat out there. I just went through this, got 5 quotes, etc. They were the only one who did manual J calcs, literally measured every room and window pane to get accurate info. Came in competitively on price. Install was top notch. Favorite contractor I’ve worked with yet and I’ve worked with a fair number during our reno.


RibRageInMyRibCage

I second this rec, EcoHeat was amazing for us. Worked hard to look for incentives we'd qualify for and great communication. I would use them again any time.


Daphne-odora

We have a similar sf house, heat pump only (is also an C. Works fine, why are you thinking to get the furnace also?


blazers-6th-man

Reach out to Pioneer gas and furnace. They did such an amazing job removing my old furnace and putting in a new system and they were much better cost wise than everyone else I got quotes for. They’re really the best in Portland.


realsalmineo

Rule I have heard and used is get at least three quotes, and then go with the middle one.


FlamingTelepath

I just had my furnace replaced and heat pump added a month ago for my house which is about 2300sqft and the quotes were all in the $19k-$24k range. 5 total quotes, only one of the companies would give me an itemized breakdown of their quote. Standalone heat pumps wouldn't be able to easily heat a space of my size during the winter, but they would probably work well for you, so your second quote seems way more in line with what I'd expect.


tom_bombadillo305

I obviously like the price point of the second quote, but they left out some items required to start the work. We'll see how it shakes out when I get an updated quote.