Propane gas to attic furnace

[brepanshek]

Here is the story... This home owner has 1 propane fueled gas furnace with a/c to heat the 1 floor portion of the home, then in the attic has a heatpump system to heat and cool the 2nd floor. Is there any reasons why the HVAC contractor would have put in a heatpump vs a propane gas furnace up in the attic also??? Does propane gas loose to much pressure going up 2-3 stories, possiblly why they didn't use gas here??? This home is only 2 years old. The client was asking this and was just wondering, give me your best thoughts.

[Charley L. Bottger]

Originally Posted by brepanshek

Here is the story... This home owner has 1 propane fueled gas furnace with a/c to heat the 1 floor portion of the home, then in the attic has a heatpump system to heat and cool the 2nd floor. Is there any reasons why the HVAC contractor would have put in a heatpump vs a propane gas furnace up in the attic also??? Does propane gas loose to much pressure going up 2-3 stories, possiblly why they didn't use gas here??? This home is only 2 years old. The client was asking this and was just wondering, give me your best thoughts.

No the propane pressure is determined by the pressure regulator at the tank and is adjustable and could be piped to any level.

Most folks that I know perfer their bedrooms cooler than the areas such as the living room where substantial time is spent. My thinking would be these two different systems could be used to differentiate the cost of propane. But on the other hand I gave up years ago trying to guess what makes folks think. My thinking would be along the lines of cost of operation.

[Marc D. Shunk]

Second floor systems often are much smaller (in capacity) than first floor systems, due to the fact that there is conditioned space below a 2nd floor and heat rises. It might have just made economic sense to use gas fired heating equipment for the heat load on the first floor and a heat pump on the second floor for the much smaller heating load. Might have also been an issue with venting, if the 2nd floor unit had no good place for receiving combustion air and do the flue venting. Might have also had to do with the cost of running the gas line to the attic. Just some guesses. This is a common installation, I should say.

[Jae Williams]

I've seen several such installations around here, but I never really gave it much thought why it was so. I'd just service the units and move on...

I have installed A/C units in the attic of houses with boilers, though.

[brepanshek]

Second floor systems often are much smaller (in capacity) than first floor systems, due to the fact that there is conditioned space below a 2nd floor and heat rises. It might have just made economic sense to use gas fired heating equipment for the heat load on the first floor and a heat pump on the second floor for the much smaller heating load.

It feels good to know that others might say the samething as I woould. I don't know why I question myself so much? I stated almost word for word on what you said here Marc. I can rest peacefully now

[bbenjamin]

Most heating and air companies can only install what the contract calls for in that specific home. Many of the builders that I have done work for install their units in this capacity one example would be Portrait Homes.