211–220 of 809 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
so what about places like Duluth, MN where it can be -20F ambient, then -40F to -50F with a windchill for several weeks of the year?
Windchill is irrelevant here, it only indicates what the temperature feels like to warm blooded mammals.
Existing established companies offer centrally ducted heat pumps. You can purchase them direct, and are even sold by your big box home improvement stores. (search for "ducted heat pump) They are generally contractor only as homeowners generally can't DIY the 240v electrical and lineset hookup. What exactly is being improved upon by your startup?
A few major improvements - (1) Purchasing experience, we'll connect you with a local contractor, arrange financing and help with rebates. (2) HEPA filtration, fresh air intake and humidity control fully integrated into the system, actuated off PM2.5 and CO2 sensors in the thermostat. (3) A smart thermostat that is optimized for operation with a variable speed heat pump, and reduces your monthly bills. (4) Help for th…
As a VC-backed startup, it's worth checking out their business model.
This is a big deal because if you can beat the rates of your competitors and guarantee a quality workmanship, then that takes away the 100+ hours we spend on sourcing quotes and negotiating better prices.
Here’s a story about what happens when you DON’T spend 100+ hours sourcing multiple quotes. You end up with a $36,000 heater + air conditioning unit where the installer caused a leak to occur on on the second floor. We were so desperate for cold air that we didn’t have time to get 20 quotes, but the 5 other quotes we did get ranged from $48k to $64k.
If you can save us that 100+ hours of time and give us a cheaper deal while guaranteeing workmanship, then I’m sold.
We’re getting really really really tired of overly inflated prices and the negotiation process.
I tried like hell to install an air-to-water heat pump instead of a replacement gas boiler and it didn't make anything close to economic sense to do so. What do I want from a heat-pump: I want it to work with a contact-closure (TT/XX) input to call for heat/cooling. Sure, if you have a fancy thermostat that works better, I'm going to read the brochure, but I'm not buying it if I find out it won't work with just a dry…
But... why?
> we have the industrial design and also largely understand how this will be built. The core technology risk is quite low, it's really about executing the scope well and also finding the right product that homeowners find compelling How many HN readers are going to read this and think why not give it a try myself? Is this really a deposit collector campaign or more of a competitor generator.
Heat pumps are really important for reducing fossil fuel use in homes, and we need better products. Scaling this sort of company has unique challenges, but it would be a net positive if more people build good products/services in this space.
You are targeted away from INDIA etc. markets that are mainly cooling. But I support your wanting to improve the thermostat for variable speed and also provide design room for the buyer into higher efficiency by oversizing and controlling accordingly.
What bothers me is your premise that outdoor air can address indoor pollution. You need to offer other filter case options and be drop in for new or existing construction leasing it to incent cost engineering pollution elimination in the lived in envelope.
Also you should offer body climate control not just "air". One company takes this seriously, for uncontrolled worker neck contact, and only leases! Fujitsu does not even lease in Most english speaking or even European etc. Handful of countries.
Existing established companies offer centrally ducted heat pumps. You can purchase them direct, and are even sold by your big box home improvement stores. (search for "ducted heat pump) They are generally contractor only as homeowners generally can't DIY the 240v electrical and lineset hookup. What exactly is being improved upon by your startup?
A few major improvements - (1) Purchasing experience, we'll connect you with a local contractor, arrange financing and help with rebates. (2) HEPA filtration, fresh air intake and humidity control fully integrated into the system, actuated off PM2.5 and CO2 sensors in the thermostat. (3) A smart thermostat that is optimized for operation with a variable speed heat pump, and reduces your monthly bills. (4) Help for th…
> Purchasing experience, we'll connect you with a local contractor, arrange financing and help with rebates.
Hopefully constructive feedback: I replaced 2 of our residential furnaces within the last few years, in two separate transactions with two different vendors. I can say that this pitch doesn't resonate as an improvement because vendors already make this turnkey.
You call a furnace/air conditioning company, they come out and recommend a unit. You sign their financing thing, they come out the next day and install. I interacted with a single primary person (on-site) at each company. Cost aside, it's actually one of the more pleasant buying experiences of any major home improvement.
Finally, I can tell you who installed the ($$$$$) units but I definitely could not tell you who made them. Branding might be tough unless you do the installs yourself.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
How about just adding a small minisplit with heat. Warm day = use the minisplit. Hot day = existing central air. Very hot= use them both. If one goes down you still have something while you wait for repair. The mini split could also provide some heating when its mildly cold.
We had a mini split installed into our garage (a Daikin that’s been great). I’m not sure how we would do that for the house. It’s a forced air system with outlets and return air in every room. I’m not sure how feasible it would be to pipe the output from a split system into that ductwork.
> we have the industrial design and also largely understand how this will be built. The core technology risk is quite low, it's really about executing the scope well and also finding the right product that homeowners find compelling How many HN readers are going to read this and think why not give it a try myself? Is this really a deposit collector campaign or more of a competitor generator.
I did but then saw what it cost — from the comments and not the website.
I really want to get a heat pump for the “free” AC, lived in Phoenix too long I guess. The problem is (aside from not making Silicon Valley wages) justifying spending those prices on a house I got for $15k.
Well, and I’ve seen too many SV startups do a very bad job looking outside the bubble they live in and go away as soon as products end up in the hands of real people.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I understand the concern around lock in. There is a technical hurdle to optimized thermostat variable speed heat pump interop. You have to turn the temperature error between setpoint and actual temperature into a compressor speed command and also factor in behavior such as defrost, compressor cycling limits, etc. So you have to have a communicating thermostat to fully utilize the efficiency of these variable speed he…
Yes, that MAY be required for full optimization Wonderful option to have: "Subscribe, and we'll improve your efficiency by 10%++" OPTION Another option would be "we'll send you a download with the latest weightings for our optimizing AI firmware for $14.95, or every month for a subscription of $49/year" whatever. I, and most other sharp people will happily ignore you and buy a system that is 50% less efficient and tw…
Provide an open API with the option to use a cloud service. Some cloud services are great, and have way better UIs than the self hosted stuff which I would gladly pay for. But take away the option to go self hosted and I lose all interest. If a device can’t be controlled locally you don’t really “own” it, you’re just renting it from someone else.
Does it explain somewhere that I missed how the different size units translate to sq. ft.? I would think that would be a great way to convey which size might work for people, but I might be missing some other factor that doesn't allow for that conversion?