Q. What issues have you had with your existing heat and cooling?
A1. Installation cost and complexity
A2. Physical size of installed components
A3. Noise
A4. Aesthetics if non-ducted
Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners
551–560 of 809 posts
Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners
#552Can the wall unit be installed vertically, under a bed, or behind a headboard?
Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners
#553Q. What issues have you had with your existing heat and cooling? A1. Installation cost and complexity A2. Physical size of installed components A3. Noise A4. Aesthetics if non-ducted
Thanks for the feedback! What type of system do you have today, and if you're ok sharing, what part of the world are you in?
Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners
#554Would've loved to see a different approach to the typical refrigerant-split units. I'm EPA certified, and do my own heat pump work, but something that could really blow up the heat pump space would be a closed-loop refrigerant system that uses water lines to the indoor coil/air handler. This would make the system a true DIY self-install, since you'd never be messing with refrigerant loops. The indoor coil/AH could be…
> something that could really blow up the heat pump space would be a closed-loop refrigerant system that uses water lines to the indoor coil/air handler. Add in hot water heating and storage, and that's basically what Harvest Thermal is doing: https://www.harvest-thermal.com/product They even use an off-the-shelf heat pump compressor (SanCO2) that as the name implies, uses CO2 as a refrigerant. It's a pricey compress…
Thanks for the link; I hadn't heard of them before. I can absolutely see a system similar to this being the future. With an additional water loop, when running in 'AC/cooling mode', the waste heat could be captured for the domestic hot water tank as well.
As with solar, energy/heat storage is likely to be an important component of the solution. Even without TOU rates, areas like mine (Mid-Atlantic) can hit temps at night that start to tax heat pumps (low teens F). However, the next day will often be above freezing and sunny. The HP could 'bank' available heat during the day to handle the late-night chill.
Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners
#555Can the wall unit be installed vertically, under a bed, or behind a headboard?
Vertically, no, would mess up condensate return path. Not recommended under a bed or behind a headboard either, you ideally want it high up on a wall so it has the best chance of mixing its supply air with the rest of the room.
Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners
#556Earlier quoted context omitted.
HA user here as well, having a non-locked down API at minimum (i.e. not actively trying to stop folks using it), through to an open and documented api (would be great), through to open firmware (would be best) and or releasing your own integration for HA would likely get you those kinda customers.
Also, I'm in the market for a new AC/heater - so have been looking. Your specs are in kbtu, but at least for cooling I'm used to tons; I have 2x4.5ton units, and I think that's ~120kbtu, so I wouldn't be able to get just two of your biggest units?
That would be 108kbtu, but you are likely oversized. With proper duct configuration including ACCA Manual D calcs and air sealing, you will most likely be more than fine with 96kbtu. Most systems (even in very nice houses) are just sort of thrown in rather than actually calculated, and then they are installed sloppily with a lot of leakage and only roughly resembling the design in at least a few locations. I do these calculations for a living, and would recommend presuming that will be the case until proven otherwise. Obviously get hard numbers before full commitment.
Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners
#557I have family that works as HVAC techs for both residential and commercial. I also used to work at the shop but did other stuff primarily. Here's my question though: it states as a direct to consumer sales route. However the pricing includes installation. I don't know of any contractors that would be willing to do a customer supplied part installation for something like a heat pump. I also know that if they did do it…
I understand the confusion around the install. The process for homeowners won't be fend for yourself and twist a contractor's arm to do an install, Electric Air will have local contractors that we connect you with.
Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners
#558Earlier quoted context omitted.
Our walls are good but our windows are a weak point. During summer, the night temperature drops to the low 90’s here. It’s A/C all day, every day, for at least 3 months. Any idea why the HVAC guy and just about every source online insists that A/C can only give you a temperature delta of 20F? I know it can’t be true, but that claim is everywhere.
There's a lot of poor engineering fundamentals among some HVAC salespeople and some websites as well as some sloppy writing. The delta-T that is correctly cited as being "around a max of 20°F" is the delta in temperature across the evaporator (IOW between the return duct and the supply duct [aka the goes-inta and the goes-outta]). It's not the delta-T between the outside air and inside air . With good enough insulati…
So in places like Arizona where the outside temperature can reach 120F and the inside temperature has to be 82F (what landlords are required to provide to tenants), are they just using bigger units than they would in some place where the temperature rarely breaks 95? The refrigerants are the same?
Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners
#559I love startups, but the value proposition is not here. I just had a heat pump installed and it was a much better price and higher efficiency. What is the benefit of direct to consumers is you are going to charge more? What makes your heat pumps better? Hepa filtering? Smart controls? They all have that.
Is the market niche esthetics? They do look nice - maybe this company is trying to be the Apple of heat pumps? Charge more because of looks?
This is a serious question - where is the innovation?
Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners
#560Hi Chris, good luck with your startup. I'm in the market for a natural gas --> heat pump remodel and expect to be signing a contractor's proposal today. I'm looking to put in a 4 ton Mitsubishi hyper heat system with an air handler to replace the gas furnace and four minisplits for the cold spots in the house. I live in the PNW. The Mitsubishi remotes and thermostats do indeed look like they're going to be terrible,…
Thanks for the feedback! If you feel ok saying, how much was the quote for this install? Do you place any value in indoor air quality?
You're welcome! I'm not comfortable sharing the quote, but you can probably imagine—24k air handler, 4 basic minisplits ranging from 6k to 12k, 48k condenser, five port branch box, installation and replacement of existing A/C and gas furnace.
Indoor air quality wasn't a factor, no.