Charlie: Anna in Memorial is looking at a gas heater or an electric heat pump.
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Tom: Well, an electric heat pump always has to have a backup. So if you have natural gas, it’s always best just to go with natural gas because you’re going to have to buy both anyway. A heat pump system, they have their place in some areas. But quite frankly, if you’ve got natural gas, it’s the way to go.
Charlie: And I’ve heard you say this before about the heat pumps. That they’re not for our area. Why?
Tom: Because our temperatures are so drastically different. Two days ago, it could have been 80 degrees, 90 degrees. And then all of sudden, we have pellets coming from the sky, and it’s 22 degrees outside. Heat pumps need to be in an area where … Pennsylvania is a great example … where you have 35 to 45, 50 degree temperature all winter long.
Charlie: Okay.
Tom: It’s mildly heated. It just needs to be maintained. But in Texas, it jumps up and down. It is very bipolar.
Charlie: It is, yes.
Tom: It needs medication.
Charlie: It’s somewhat schizophrenic, yes.
Tom: So either you need a lot of heat or you don’t need it any at all, and that’s what I’m getting at.
Charlie: Okay. So a heat pump works well where you’re going to have … temperatures are going to remain in a band of temperatures.
Tom: Yeah. Yeah.
Charlie: And not be up and down. Got it. I’ve heard you say that, and I never really understood why. All right.
Tom: When it gets down to 20 degrees, your heat pump won’t work.