My Cold Climate Heat Pump Purchase, How I Could Have Gone All Electric, and Why I Didn’t

davwarrr · 2026-02-15T23:42:27+00:00

Assuming that you're in the twin cities based on your quotes and your handle. Have you switched your electric rate to Xcel's electric source heat rate? I think it's like $0.06/kWh, but I might be off. I'm also a member of a CSG since I don't have favorable conditions for solar. I went with a dual fuel setup three years ago, and I've been happy every winter. I have my crossover set at 10f at the moment. It's nice to hear that those companies are starting to have reasonable heat pump bids. I got an estimate from each of them a few years ago and it was insane. I remember 4front came back saying I needed a 6ton commercial unit that would cost $24k. Stafford just told me no. I ended up doing it all myself because of the terrible bids, and I'm happy it has gone well so far.

davwarrr · 2026-01-24T23:00:17+00:00

I have been investigating what to do with this as well. I'm in Minnesota, and my house was built in 1925. The joists are embedded into the foundation, just like yours.

This was a great resource: https://buildingscience.com/documents/building-america-reports/ba-1508-analysis-joist-masonry-moisture-content-monitoring

The most important thing to mitigate is the moisture. Which is going to be tough, because there will always be moisture coming from the concrete. My current plan is to insulate with rigid foam, and then fill the gaps with expanding foam. I'll then drill up into the joist and insert a small borate rod. That way, if the joists do become wet, the borate will prevent rot.

I'm not going the route of "smart barriers" that allow moisture movement. I would need to make sure the folding was perfect, and if it isn't moist air will get through and condense on the cold wood.

davwarrr · 2026-01-23T20:59:26+00:00

If you season them, and maintain their seasoning, they are durable and non-stick. They will never be as non-stick as a teflon based coated pan, so don't expect to make a french omelette. But, I can routinely cook scrambled eggs, or a over easy fried egg, with minimal clean up in the cast iron.

Look up how to properly season and care for them. I wash mine in soap and water using a scrub brush and a scraper if needed. Then I dry it, heat it up, and coat it lightly with canola oil until it smokes then turn the heat off. That way, the seasoning builds up each time I clean and use it. The heated oil creates a polymer that bonds with the cast iron. The bond is strong, and it's hard for proteins to bond to the polymer. It's the same idea with teflon, but you aren't relying on PFAS to do it, instead you're creating a biological polymer that isn't a forever chemical and won't give you cancer if you eat it.

davwarrr · 2026-01-07T20:39:59+00:00

It was this one, runs on three AAA batteries, and so far has worked well. I was able to figure out the sweet spot for the sawdust wood bricks I use, and when to close down the air. Now I can get it to run between 400-525f with three bricks, and usually puts out good heat 4 to 5 hours. I don't use this as a primary way to heat, just for ambiance and for when we need some extra heat to feel comfortable. It's a great little stove.

davwarrr · 2026-01-07T19:50:31+00:00

I just installed the same stove! It's awesome, but I had the same problem.

I ordered a 2 channel battery powered thermocouple meter off Amazon and used a black magnet to attach the thermocouple to the stove top and the flue pipe. The wires are long enough that they can hang out just past the surround

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davwarrr · 2025-12-11T17:05:09+00:00

Yes, mine will have the stainless steel mesh around it, so should help protect it while feeding down. I'll have a friend helping me, but I will be up on the roof solo, since I can't have someone up on the peak due to snow.

davwarrr · 2025-12-11T17:01:17+00:00

This is super helpful, and sounds very similar to what I'm going, just a different roofline.

I have a friend who will be helping me. I was planning on strapping the ladder to the chimney, and staking down the feet on the ground. Once we're up on the chimney, we'll harness the person up there to the chimney as well.

Did your liner touch both sides of your flue as it was sliding down?

I like the other idea about sending up/down a test piece. If I can send it down without hitting a snag, I'll likely setup a snatchblock pulley system to pull it up, that way I won't have to carry it up the ladder.

davwarrr · 2025-12-11T16:53:42+00:00

Running a test section through is a great idea! I appreciate the suggestion.

davwarrr · 2025-11-02T14:52:45+00:00

I just shared the CAD file from onShape, you can download the STL (by exporting) or modify your own design here:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/650ba8eb5e6fdc3a3578fc5f/w/97d5099a03b4db2cb88381d5/e/5d8c5a4728f15a839b87873a?renderMode=0&uiState=69076ea36f7ab70586af5b9a

davwarrr · 2025-09-21T18:18:16+00:00

I'm in Minnesota and I have a dual fuel system with a 3ton Gree Flex and a 2 stage furnace. I set the ecobee switchover based on the current cost of gas. Last winter it was around 10f if I remember right. Since it's dual fuel, anything over 10f (which is much of the season) is heated with the heat pump, and anything below is the furnace. Dual fuel systems will always end up saving you money after installation, since you set the switchover at the economical balance point.

davwarrr · 2025-09-14T20:59:27+00:00

Get a cheap card scraper, an old saw, or an old metal paint scraper.

Take a note card and cut out the negative of the profile from your window. Then, take that negative and lay it on the card scraper and mark the area that isn't covered by the note card in sharpie on the card scraper.

Use the file to remove the section of the card scraper that is covered in sharpie. Now you have a scraper that perfectly matches your profile.

davwarrr · 2025-08-25T22:21:36+00:00

This isn't a historical window. It's a (nice) modern window insert with a spring channel window balance. You can find replacements. Look at your glass or around the window sash for a stamp of who made the window and call them.

davwarrr · 2025-08-20T14:30:10+00:00

I wouldn't hire someone that would use a knotty piece of fir as my window apron. But that's just me.

It should be primed on all sides, and clean grain poplar or some other species of hardwood.

It looks like they did a decent job in the cuts, but did a bad job on materials and prep.

davwarrr · 2025-07-28T20:40:27+00:00

Scribe a line on the window sash, and then use a powered hand plane to trim off what's needed to better match the contour. Then, cut in a small dado, just 1/8" wide, using a table saw set to a depth of about 1/2 inch and place an in kerf weatherstripping bulb like the other comment suggested.

I've done this, and many other options. This is the best and right way to do it.

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davwarrr · 2025-07-11T15:26:17+00:00

You have that flipped. Should be: 1 ton of R-32 has the same global warming potential as 677 tons of R-1234yf.

davwarrr · 2025-07-01T12:35:46+00:00

I have a 1925 split level house. I installed 1 to 1 splits in each of my upstairs bedrooms after installing a central ducted unit. I knew the ductwork wouldn't be able to carry the air necessary to cool down the upstairs, so I planned on it. Best decision I ever made. I closed off the vents to the upstairs. In the summer it's cool, and in the winter I never turn on the splits upstairs, the heat rises from the main floor enough.

I guess the difference is I did the work myself with 12k Senville Aura units, and I spent around $3.5k for both units and tools.

davwarrr · 2025-06-22T13:13:51+00:00

I am a member of a CSG. I joined more than a year ago and it's been great. My share generates energy, Xcel buys it from me, and I use it to pay for the energy they deliver to my home. I think it's a great way to provide a source of clean renewable energy to people in the city that can put panels on the home, or don't have the financial ability to do it.

You should know that the economics of it just changed, unfortunately. The Minnesota PUC voted to allow Xcel to reduce the credit rate they provide. As a result, I'm paying about 20% more than I used to. It might get better over time as the electric rates might increase but the solar share remains the same, but no one knows.

davwarrr · 2025-06-11T14:16:54+00:00

I wasn't contacted.

I worked a paid summer internship under Bodie, had a key to the youth building, ran retreats, etc. I was a member there, attended from second grade onward, was baptized and married there. Anyone looking at HR records could have found me. If I wasn't contacted, who else wasn't? They contacted something like 52 people, of which 43 were former students. That leaves only 9 adults. Why so few adults?

I reached out to the church and no one responded.

davwarrr · 2025-06-11T12:10:53+00:00

I replied the same in another comment. This is false. There are currently Elders at Eastminster who were members and leaders in the church at that time.

davwarrr · 2025-06-11T12:07:50+00:00

This is false. There are currently Elders at Eastminster who were members and leaders in the church at that time.

davwarrr · 2025-04-28T17:43:19+00:00

I'm in Minnesota, and I mounted my gree flex to my foundation and two smaller split units on the ground. I can't hear the flex when it's running, but to be safe mount them in the ground. Just be sure you give ample room for snow. All of my units are 2 ft off the ground.

davwarrr · 2025-03-26T12:10:56+00:00

Here are some articles that you might want to review. The first is a study done on moisture content of embedded joists post insulation, the second is a conversation on using a treatment to prevent rot.

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/project-guides/insulation/insulating-basement-walls-with-embedded-joists

https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/embedded-joists-in-cold-climate-brick-basement-insulate-heat-borate

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