- cross-posted to:
- hackernews@derp.foo
- cross-posted to:
- hackernews@derp.foo
Heat pumps can’t take the cold? Nordics debunk the myth::By installing a heat pump in his house in the hills of Oslo, Oyvind Solstad killed three birds with one stone, improving his comfort, finances and climate footprint.
I mean, it’s not about them not working, it’s the efficiency. Most models will switch to a normal electric heater, if they can’t extract anymore heat from the surroundings. At which temperature that happens, depends on your type of heat pump.
Not correct for modern heat pumps. They work down to at least -40F without switching to creating heat.
That’s why I said it depends on the type of the heat pump. Some can go really low, the cheaper ones not. At some point (the latest at -273.15C :D) they need to switch.
The overwhelming majority of even high end cold climate ASHPs do not function at -40 C/F. -20F, that’s doable.