Talked my neighbor out of a heat pump install

My neighbor Roy was all set to drop $8,000 on a new heat pump for his old drafty house. I told him to fix his attic insulation first, it's probably a total joke after 40 years. He got cagey and said the heat pump would pay for itself in efficiency. I showed him my own power bills after I sealed my crawlspace and added R-38 in the attic, my usage dropped 30% before I even touched my furnace. He finally called an energy auditor and found his house is leaking like a sieve. Now he's pissed at me for making him spend money on insulation instead of a shiny new toy. Has anyone else had luck getting people to fix the basics before buying expensive gear?

3 comments

3 Comments

samk778d ago

@the_tessa beat me to it, but @gavin228 your buddy story hit close to home. Caulk and foam tape feel like cheap fixes but they do the heavy lifting. Heat pumps work way better when the house isn't basically an open window. One thing I want to gently push back on though. Mini splits aren't just shiny toys. They're legit good for zones you can't duct. But yeah, definitely seal first. Roy's house dropped 40% on his bill after air sealing and attic work alone. You guys are spot on about the order. Seal tight then insulate right then think about fancy gear.

the_tessa9d ago

My uncle tried to talk me into a $6,000 mini split system last year and I was so ready to buy it. Then I spent $200 on weatherstripping and caulk instead and my house actually feels livable now, lol. I still kinda want the mini split but yeah he was right, fix the basics first.

gavin22810d ago

Dude, "shiny new toy" is exactly right. I did the same thing with my buddy who was dead set on a smart thermostat system. I made him tape up his baseboards first and he was mad when his house actually stayed warm without it.