How much more energy is used to heat an apt using just auxillery heat strips versus using the whole system?

by Kevin Steele

Question by t bing: How much more energy is used to heat an apt using just auxillery heat strips versus using the whole system?

I have a heat system that is electric which has the heat strips and a heat pump on the outside but due to coil issues right now Im fully dependent on the heat strips. I wondering what impact does that have on the electric bill.




Best answer:

Answer by Hydroace
The difference is fairly huge. Your heat strips rely on electric resistance heat, which is to say that you have to buy 1 kilowatt of electricity of power to get 1 kilowatt of heat (approximately 3,400 btu). Conversely, a typical air source heat pump which uses 1 kilowatt of power will provide between 3 and 4 kilowatts of heat (10,200 to 13,600 btu) on a 10 degree C day.

Spend money to repair the heat pump - it's money well spent.

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