I have a duel fuel system (heat pump + gas furnace) which, while more expensive, is really the best of both worlds.

In a power outage I can plug in a generator and get the furnace running.

If temps drop too low and the heat pump is struggling I can switch to the furnace.

I can choose which to run based on current energy costs.

When looking into heat pumps everyone told me they don’t work well in the northeast or they would be more expensive to run here. I found it really difficult to get an accurate estimate of the cost difference between running a heat pump vs a gas furnace. Ultimately I decided to go dual fuel for flexibility but after comparing my bills before and after I almost wish I’d gone with a hyper heat unit so it could run at lower outdoor temps because the heat pump has turned out to be cheaper but I can’t run it at low temps.

I think HVAC techs in this area are weary of them based on past experience with older units but they really have improved in recent years.

True. They could close it off to the public at any time and only offer a subscription service.

However, they are probably afraid to do that for fear that they will lose out to competitors. Offering the service for free was the key to their popularity and bringing AI technology into the hands the average users. If they cut that off, someone else will quickly take their place.