XPost: rec.arts.comics.strips   
   From: psperson@old.netcom.invalid   
      
   On Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:22:29 GMT, scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal)   
   wrote:   
      
   >Paul S Person  writes:   
      
      
      
   >>I am put off by the nonsense being spouted ("free" A/C when you have   
   >>to pay for the electricity used to run the heat pump). And the   
   >>descriptions of how to use one (same temp 24/7).   
   >   
   >The "Free A/C" likely refers to the fact that the compressor   
   >can be used for both heating and cooling, one need not   
   >purchase a separate A/C compressor as with conventional   
   >forced air heating systems.   
      
   Or not, as in my case.   
      
   Until the Blob of a decade or so ago, AC was rarely needed here.   
      
   More recently it has become a much more reasonable idea.   
      
   Not last summer, however. Lots of nice sunny days, and several   
   shopping days where I went in the morning ("70s feels like 80s")   
   rather than the afternoons ("80s feels like 90s"), but nothing like   
   the summers before ("90s feels like 100s" and worse).   
      
   >>I had a furnace replaced about 20 years ago.    
   >   
   >So did I.   
   >   
   >>They basically assembled   
   >>it from about a gazillion parts.   
   >   
   >They removed the outer box and placed in in the closet,   
   >plumbed in the gas, attached the thermostat wiring and   
   >plugged it in.  Replacing the cold air return venting   
   >took far longer (total job was about 2 hours).   
      
   Ah, but that was gas.   
      
   Mine was oil. Currently burning Bioheat (C) Fuel, which is basically   
   diesel plus enought biofuel to avoid a tax passed by the city some   
   time back. Or maybe a bit more biofuel, who can say?   
      
   As to being forced, I don't know how that is coming along. The plan I   
   last heard about involved updating the Fire Code to make all existing   
   oil tanks illegal [1]. They would have to retired (hello, heat pump!)   
   or replaced with a modern version satisfying the code.   
      
   [1] Apparently, there was a major push back in the 50s (when my   
   parents went from coal to oil) to convert to oil, so most of those   
   tanks are now 75 or so years old. So this may be a prudent thing to   
   do, as leaks are ecodisasters, particularly if they leave your   
   property and affect your neighbors.   
      
   >   
   >   
   >>I notice a distinct lack of answers to my question about using WiFi   
   >>(or Bluetooth) to control a heat pump. Thus avoiding the pulling of   
   >>wires.   
   >   
   >I'll take wires over either of your mentioned alternatives, myself.   
   --    
   "Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,   
   Who evil spoke of everyone but God,   
   Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)