My house (1963) has a gas boiler (2004) serving hot water baseboard radiators. It also has a heat pump (2012). When I had the heat pump installed, I opted to NOT include the auxiliary heat strip feature. Auxiliary heat could be added later and I couldn't afford it then. The system is set up so that the heat pump serves the house until it gets below 40 degrees, at which point, the boiler kicks in and takes over. My gas bill spikes when that happens -- last winter my gas bill for Dec through March averaged a little over $200/ mo. When the boiler is off, it is below $40/ mo (water heater and stove). The electric bill averages $150, though admittedly, the heat pump is off Dec to March.
I had the boiler installed in 2004 when I converted from oil to gas. I got the brand new boiler for $500, which is super cheap, but it is WAY oversized for the house and has proven to be unreliable. Typically, it generates at least one service call each year at a cost of $300 - $500 each. Every autumn, I set aside $ for this. Amazing how a very mechanically simple appliance can find so many ways to break. Anyway...
I just had the chimney flues inspected and got (expected) bad news. The flue that serves the boiler and water heater absolutely must be relined. It's a safety issue and I will do that ASAP.
Option 1: Reline the flue to serve both the boiler and water heater -- $1540
Option 2: Decommission the boiler and remove all the copper radiator pipes (sell for scrap). Add auxiliary heat to the heat pump and heat the house with only the heat pump (common in my region). Cost to reline flue for just the water heater is $900 ish. I called the HVAC guy who installed the system and am waiting for a quote on adding the auxiliary heat system.
The cost to add the auxiliary heat might be lower if I can DIY it. I'm pretty handy and have a good friend who is an electrician. Is it feasible to DIY adding the auxiliary heat to an existing heat pump system? If so, does anyone know of internet sites that sell these systems to consumers?
Any other thoughts/ opinions y'all have are welcome. WWMD (What Would Mustachians Do?)