this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2023
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The vast majority of gas boilers use electronics to function. In a powercut they are also dead.
Now if you're talking diesel generator back ups, then far enough.
If you have a generator, you can easily run the heat pump off of them as well, but it's seldomly needed... if ever.
I live in Canada where it's commonly -30c or colder in the winter. heat pumps work fine around here and quite a few places have them, from houses to factories. The only problem is the initial set up costs, because the lines have to get buried below the frost line (6-8 feet down). After that it's smooth sailing for the most part.
Even in power outages, heated floors can retain their heat for much longer than conventional means, sometimes up to a day or two.
And the best part, is in the summer, you just reverse the system and it's an air conditioner pumping your house heat into the ground to use again next winter.
Even gas stoves won’t work when the power is down, for the same reason.
Heard of a match?
Some won’t let gas flow if there is no electricity.
If you want to heat air and move it around you're gonna want a fan, which will need electricity. My gas heat is no good when the power is out.
If you have a gas stove you really shouldn't be using it without the fan running.
A power outage is one of those times as people are tempted to use it more and for longer if it's the easiest source of heat.
When I lived in Pittsburgh many years ago, we had a full blizzard come through and our furnace went out in our “nice neighborhood/slumlord landlord” house. Benzene or no, the stove and oven kept us from freezing.
Provided the pressure is maintained from the outside, mine would work fine with a match.
Mine had a safety valve, which was unfortunately electronically controlled.
RIP
There are tons of non electronic gas heaters. I have one in my basement just for power outages so we can stay alive in the winter if we don't have power. But I do think for majority of heating and cooling I would love to rip out my central furnace and replace with heat pumps but the cost is too great ATM. I have two heat pumps now, one in my garage and one in my top floor where the furnace could never reach.
There are significant tax credits and rebates to be had: https://www.hvac.com/expert-advice/inflation-reduction-act-heat-pump-rebates/
I have propane heat- a small generator will power the fans while the propane provides the actual heat. The generator wouldn’t be able to handle a whole heat pump though. I do lose power a lot and lost it for 4 days straight last Jan. This situation isn’t without merit.
If it's just control systems though, they may be able to run off of a UPS for a day or so.
There are fans and pumps as well.