[74-911]

We had a similar situation with a 2800 sqft house out in the country near Rockport which had a heat pump for heating and cooling (natural gas not available). We were really pleased with the heat pump and the few times it got to cold for the heat pump to really warm the house the auxiliary electric heat strips would kick on. Not sure how it would work near Brenham as it will get colder there than near the coast.

I would suggest you ask around and see what others in that situation are doing. Our electric bill was noticeably higher when we had to run the heat strips as opposed to just the heat pump warming the house.

What the inspector suggested is probably the most economical way in the short term. However, as old as your air handlers are I would be leary of "upgrading" them with electric heat strips and electric heat strips are probably the most uneconomical way to heat the house..

If you plan to use the house often and keep it, I think in the long run new higher efficiency heat pumps and air handlers with auxiliary electric heat strips would be the way to go... definitely not the most economical however.