This week I rewired one circuit in the garage. Now I only have one more to go. After that I will just need to redo the plumbing, cover everything, and we will have a new garage!
One item that is a hard, very hard decision is regarding our heat pump. It is original to the house (33 years). It is not efficient and quite loud at startup (I think the bearings in the blower motor are going out.) Most people I’ve spoken with are shocked that it has lasted this long.
After receiving out electric bill, we were quite flabbergasted! We keep our thermostat very low (between 64º and 67º). It was $50 more than last months bill. This brought up the discussion that we might be throwing a lot of money away due to this old heat pump that hasn’t been maintained very well.
I have contacted a few HVAC contractors in the area regarding replacement. All of them say they need a look at our home to “size it up.” Which seems fishy to me, I’m just wanting a price range. So I have 4 people coming next week.
One piece of good news is about the efficiency of newer heat pumps. One contractor told me that certain models are energy star rated, which I love to hear. He also told me that those models use the same energy as a refrigerator. It seems crazy to me, but I like it. He said depending on the model we purchase, we could save anywhere from $600 to $2700 a year on energy costs alone!!!
I want a geothermal system, but it seems as if regular systems have caught up to them in efficiency. I was told they are generally double the cost, and use the same amount of energy.
When we bought the house, we were hoping it would just go out, so our home warrantee would cover the costs of replacing it. I think it will be a good investment in the end. I just know it will be very hard for Rachel to spend this kind of money on this. I’ve been told of some great financing options, so we’ll see I guess.