January 22, 2023

Heat makes all the difference!

December 23rd, the heat pump died.

It was old and I knew it would need replacing at some point when I bought this house in 2019. It was first installed in 2005 and while I did get maintenance done on it, I always had in the back of my head that there was going to be an expensive repair in my future.

I didn’t expect it to be the most inconvenient time of the year. The coldest weather we’d seen in the NC mountains that early in the year, in decades. Christmas eve eve -when 99% of the world is on vacation and unavailable.

I figured out how to put the system into ‘emergency heat’ mode and got heat, but I knew that running it in that mode would be very expensive. (Note: It was/is. My electric bill for Dec was $100 higher than normal - I’m not looking forward to January’s bill.)

I’ve kept the heat uncomfortably low and layered on clothes, dug out the electric blanket, and plugged in a space heater radiator for my office while I’m in there.

Repairman said the fix (a new motor and other parts) would be about $8,000. A full system replacement was recommended at $14,000.
I went with a program my electrical service provider has that puts in a mini-split system and I can pay a little each month added to my electric bill. It’ll cost me about $4k when it’s done.
It’s healthier for indoor air quality, more efficient, and less expensive. They installed it on the 17th and I am SO excited to have warmth once more!

Now I just have to find someone to pull the old one out of my back yard and take it away…

And there’s my excitement for the month. That, and I’m writing every single day so I can catch up on my schedule. Yes, I’m behind and it’s only January. Eek!

Oh - I almost forgot. While most of you are getting this via email because that’s how you signed up - I would really appreciate if you subscribed. Free or paid, a subscription is better. Thanks!