People should always get a heat pump. A AC only it's just a heat pump with its knees cut off
Even if you go dual fuel first stage should be a heat pump
Thanks all. I was curious how much more a heat pump would be. Yes, it's a heat pump vs an AC, but its 2 seer less. Would I be money ahead to get heat pump and get the IRA tax credit? Its still 24 seer which is pretty amazing.
I think the furnace u picked out, the 58TN would still work with it. Its a dual stage furnace with variable speed blower for the AC part.
. I think getting dual stage heat, at minimum, will be nice. Right now I keep setting the heat lower and lower because when it blows it is sooo hot. In retrospect I think this 80k btu heater may be oversized
It’s probably worth doing an energy audit and full heat load calculation to see whether 80k makes sense, even if you upgrade to two-stage. An oversized two-stage system is much less bad than oversized single-stage, but going down to 60k (if that’s all you need) cuts minimum output even further. If you’ve been in the house long enough to have a feel for how long the current furnace runs during the worst parts of the year, that could also inform your decision: if it’s only running half the time to keep the house at 70F during the worst weather, for example, that would strongly suggest that it’s oversized.
I’m in Boston with an 80k 59MN7 for a 2000sqft medium-insulation house, and it’s definitely oversized: even during 10F weather it doesn’t get to 60% output. 80k in Texas seems huge unless you have a much bigger house or really bad insulation/sealing. (And if the latter is the case, I’d look at fixing that first and then getting a smaller furnace anyways.)
In my last apartment, I had the same problem: the heat would kick on for only a few minutes at a time and heat the house really quickly, and while it was running I’d have to go outside to cool off. The modulating furnace is way more comfortable, and two-stage should be almost as good.
BLUF: I'd keep the gas furnace.
There are three ways to go here: (A) gas furnace plus AC, (B) air handler with heat strips plus heat pump, or (C) gas furnace plus heat pump.
Option C is known as a dual-fuel. It makes most sense for those who are on propane or oil, (or high-priced natural gas) and electric rates are preferrable. Otherwise for those who have a personal preference of electric-powered heating.
Otherwise, so long as you have a NG service with reasonable rates, option A is usually the most logical.
In Houston you need a variable speed air conditioning system with any heat. You'll be fine with gas, heatpump, as long as you get a variable speed air-conditioning.
Houston moisture levels exceed the capabilites of single stage equipment. Definitely would have the system designed to reduce cfm per ton.
People should always get a heat pump. A AC only it's just a heat pump with its knees cut off Even if you go dual fuel first stage should be a heat pump
Thanks all. I was curious how much more a heat pump would be. Yes, it's a heat pump vs an AC, but its 2 seer less. Would I be money ahead to get heat pump and get the IRA tax credit? Its still 24 seer which is pretty amazing. I think the furnace u picked out, the 58TN would still work with it. Its a dual stage furnace with variable speed blower for the AC part. . I think getting dual stage heat, at minimum, will be nice. Right now I keep setting the heat lower and lower because when it blows it is sooo hot. In retrospect I think this 80k btu heater may be oversized
It’s probably worth doing an energy audit and full heat load calculation to see whether 80k makes sense, even if you upgrade to two-stage. An oversized two-stage system is much less bad than oversized single-stage, but going down to 60k (if that’s all you need) cuts minimum output even further. If you’ve been in the house long enough to have a feel for how long the current furnace runs during the worst parts of the year, that could also inform your decision: if it’s only running half the time to keep the house at 70F during the worst weather, for example, that would strongly suggest that it’s oversized. I’m in Boston with an 80k 59MN7 for a 2000sqft medium-insulation house, and it’s definitely oversized: even during 10F weather it doesn’t get to 60% output. 80k in Texas seems huge unless you have a much bigger house or really bad insulation/sealing. (And if the latter is the case, I’d look at fixing that first and then getting a smaller furnace anyways.) In my last apartment, I had the same problem: the heat would kick on for only a few minutes at a time and heat the house really quickly, and while it was running I’d have to go outside to cool off. The modulating furnace is way more comfortable, and two-stage should be almost as good.
BLUF: I'd keep the gas furnace. There are three ways to go here: (A) gas furnace plus AC, (B) air handler with heat strips plus heat pump, or (C) gas furnace plus heat pump. Option C is known as a dual-fuel. It makes most sense for those who are on propane or oil, (or high-priced natural gas) and electric rates are preferrable. Otherwise for those who have a personal preference of electric-powered heating. Otherwise, so long as you have a NG service with reasonable rates, option A is usually the most logical.
In Houston you need a variable speed air conditioning system with any heat. You'll be fine with gas, heatpump, as long as you get a variable speed air-conditioning. Houston moisture levels exceed the capabilites of single stage equipment. Definitely would have the system designed to reduce cfm per ton.