The efficiency isn’t the only problem limiting colder climates, it’s the need to periodically defrost the outdoor coils. This process generally occurs by running the normal air conditioning (cooling) mode, which can increase occupant discomfort. There is a point where this breaks down before the COP decreases.
But only for the 4 weeks a year you spend in unusually cold weather, the other 48 it’s more efficient.
It’s not like truly arctic places are a reasonable application but the overwhelming majority of our population lives south of Quebec and north of Wellington. So it’s not a relevant point, everyone in the Arctic can just use resistive heating or burn fuel, and if we get everything else on heat pumps we reduce our enegy use by a factor of 2-3 regardles.
Sure, for a few days a year it might get as bad as resistive heating. How horrible! So you don’t get 3.2x total throughout the year, you get 3.1x. It’s a non-issue.
The efficiency isn’t the only problem limiting colder climates, it’s the need to periodically defrost the outdoor coils. This process generally occurs by running the normal air conditioning (cooling) mode, which can increase occupant discomfort. There is a point where this breaks down before the COP decreases.
Get a heat pump with resistive (electric) defrosting, not one that defrosts by running like an AC.
This kills your COP, making it inefficient.
But only for the 4 weeks a year you spend in unusually cold weather, the other 48 it’s more efficient.
It’s not like truly arctic places are a reasonable application but the overwhelming majority of our population lives south of Quebec and north of Wellington. So it’s not a relevant point, everyone in the Arctic can just use resistive heating or burn fuel, and if we get everything else on heat pumps we reduce our enegy use by a factor of 2-3 regardles.
Right. It depends on your climate.
Sure, for a few days a year it might get as bad as resistive heating. How horrible! So you don’t get 3.2x total throughout the year, you get 3.1x. It’s a non-issue.