Quote:
Originally Posted by Glendale Deli Boy
I’ve always used oil furnace to heat our home but this year installed Mitsubishi Splits with heat pumps for main floor and upstairs master bedroom. Basement is unfinished.
I keep the home at 50 degrees in the winter and sadly am rarely there.
What is the best solution (most efficient manner) to keep my home heated at 50 through the winter? Use the Splits exclusively? If super cold, somehow have it set up so that oil furnace kicks in?
I just can’t quite get my head around the optimal thermostat setup and how to balance use of both the Splits and oil heat to most efficiently heat the house. Got the Splits primarily for AC but included heat pumps to give me options for the winter.
Thanks for any wisdom you all can share.
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For me that question would be a strict decision of cost. Unfortunately, figuring it out accurately is a bit of a chore. Electricity costs more than oil. The heat output of heat pumps varies with outside temperature so the efficiency varies also.
Honestly, without having done this calculation recently and assuming your oil heat is in the 80 to 85% range, I wouldn't worry too much about it and just do what made me feel best.