below zero fahrenheit or celcius? 8 cents total rate per KW hour is pretty cheap. You may just want the highest efficiency single stage heat pump and supplement with electric strips.

You may want to spend some money insulating. What part of the country are you in?

Eastern Idaho (right under the Tetons). 8 below fahrenheit.

Just trying to get a heat pump that functions in the cold of winter as much as possible.

I know almost nothing about heat pumps, just started researching a week ago.

thats very cold.
Start insulating. That will be your best bang for your buck. With that type of cold you likely need something stronger than a heatpump for the cold weather. I could consider a wood burner for the extra cold.

Carrier infinity Greenspeed system may still be the best bang for the buck. You will need a matching air handler or gas furnace with variable speed blower and an Infinity T-stat.

This system should offer great economy even down to those temperatures, especially at 8 cents per kW. I would go all electric.

SR

daily

I think there is something here that is being overlooked.

And is best answered by a Carrier expert with good familiarity with the new Greenspeed HP.

I looked in the AHRi directory and I saw no matches for the Greenspeed and the Carrier Infinity 96 that OP already has in place.

What does your dealer say about this?

IMO

"I looked in the AHRi directory and I saw no matches for the Greenspeed and the Carrier Infinity 96 that OP already has in place."

Not sure what this means... I don't really have a carrier dealer locally that's familiar with the greenspeed. I have a very knowledgable bryant dealer, but he says their greenspeed equivalent isn't out 'til Apri '12.

The bryant dealer said the furnace would be fine with the greenspeed (its a variable speed furnace). Exact model: 58-MVB

I am not saying the existing furnaces would not work.

But AHRI equipment matches are important.

Whoever installed those furnaces should explain why they are not listed as a match with the Greenspeed.

IMO

Talked to the only installer in the area, quote was $6200, which is the same as the Bryant that will be out in April. Unfortunately, neither installer has ever dealt with the greenspeed unit. Take the plunge anyways? Payoff would be about 4 years.

I lived in eastern Idaho 11 years (Blackfoot) and agree that a wood stove will be your best source of backup heat or even main heat. Your temp of -8 is only the beginning as your know. It's not uncommon to get days and even weeks of -25 to -35 below zero. That's when the Snake River freezes.

When I lived there I had cable electric in the ceiling and my woodstove downstairs. I basically shut off the cable electric and heated the entire home (1,600 sq. feet total top and bottom) the entire winter with 5 cord of wood. During December, January and February, the bugger ran 24/7.

My home had 6 inch walls, aluminum pane windows (not very efficient) and R-41 in the attic.

I've wondered whether a heat pump would be good for that area but now that the Greenspeed is out I think it might be your best option aside from wood heat.

That greenspeed heatpump might handle the colder weather better than a regular heatpump, but for below zero type weather you will need some strong heat to keep your house warm.

$6200 seems like a good price for a new greenspeed heatpump. Do you plan on being in the house for a long time? It might make a good investment. With your inexpensive electric I would probably consider heating with it down to about 20 degrees or even 15.

Think I'll be going with the greenspeed, just wish we had a contractor that's actually installed one before (I don't want to be the experiment). Going to call over into Wyoming and see if they're allowed to come out this way.

And our "main" source of heat is a wood stove, but its on the top floor and the way the house was build, there's no practical place to put one downstairs, besides, that's where the toddler and newborn sleep, so I'd rather keep it constant. So basement will be only area served by the HP for now (granted, its 2800sq ft down there).

Dailey

You want a load calc performed. Keep in mind basements have low load if insulated reasonably and if it is at or partially below grade.

What size is the furnace for the basement zone?

IMO

Basement is currently a 5 ton, 2800 sq foot, partially below grade, well insulated (with the exception of a huge open staircase that funnels hot air to the upper level and lots of windows).

Upstairs is a 6 ton and 5 ton (though neither are actually used due to a high efficiency wood burner that heats the upper 2900 sq ft.)

I did find a dealer in Jackson Hole, WY that's a little more knowledgable, issue there is probably price, EVERYTHING is more expensive in Jackson...

Boy, 11 tons of furnace seems to be pretty high. Go with the load calc. So where are you from in the great Intermountain West?

I would check the insulation out. I bet it is minimum. I have a neighbor that purchased a bank owned house in the fall and assumed it was fully insulated. The only insulation in the attic was a little sawdust here and there. They didn't think about it until they become the proud owner of a 600.00 electric bill. I would seriously look at the Greenspeed. The highest energy savings will be keeping the warm air in the house which can be tricky.

From all over, colorado springs, sacramento, tuscon, san antonio (wife was in the air force, just got out after getting pregnant with our second). This is where we decided to settle.

House is well insulated, I just think the furnaces are overkill. To make it worse, you misunderstood. 5t downstairs. 5t AND 6t upstairs. That's 16t heating for a 5700 sq ft house. Like I said, the fireplace heats the entire upper floor, so that 11 tons is replaced by a single fireplace and manages to do well at 10 below.