We took advantage of some government incentive programs to make some major improvements on the home front - mainly, to get off heating oil and replace our old furnace with a heat pump system. Between maintenance costs to keep it running, the high price of heating oil, and future costs to replace the tank....it was a no-brainer.
Unfortunately, after many weeks of hurry-up-and-wait, due to equipment on back order, the installation happened on short notice and ended up being on a very wet day. The property was the worst we had ever seen, between standing water (tiny lakes actually) and lots of MUD. Between that and the crawlspace experience, we felt pretty bad for the Bros. from Handy Bros., but they soldiered on like true professionals.
The new heat pump replaces both the oil furnace and the air conditioner. We added an auxiliary electric heater as a backup, for the odd winter night when the temperature dips below the efficient operating temperature.
We also added a lot more insulation to the attic, to keep the heat in. Once they were finished pulling out the old oil furnace and installing the new unit, we also had the crawlspace lined with plastic and spray foam insulation added to the outer walls. At least crawling under there will be a little more pleasant now!
We won't know for sure how it works until we encounter a HOT summer day or a COLD winter night, but we are looking forward to cheaper heating (and cheaper home insurance!) while also increasing the value of the house in the process.
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