Using a Programmable Thermostat With a Heat Pump

December 20th, 2011 Posted in Heat Pumps
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Heat pumps and programmable thermostats have become popular these days as people try to find ways to reduce their energy consumption.  Whether motived by decreasing their carbon footprint, lowering their energy bills, or both, heat pumps and programmable thermostats are excellent alternatives for lowering the amount of energy used to heat and cool homes.

However, if you are not careful when using a programmable thermostat with your new heat pump you may end up wasting energy by activating the auxiliary heat too often.  A heat pump is an energy efficient way to heat a home because it moves heat rather than creates heat.  As the name implies, a heat pump moves heat from outside the home to the inside to warm the home.

It is an efficient and economical system, but it is less effective at temperatures below freezing.  To compensate for this, most heat pumps have auxiliary electric heating strips installed to supplement the heat when the heat pump can’t keep up with the demand for heat.  Heat strips are an expensive way to heat, but if they are used sparingly a heat pump is still an efficient heating system.

The problem with programmable thermostats is that they are typically set to lower the temperature about 10 degrees at night and when the homeowner is away during the day.  When the program switches back to the more comfortable higher temperature setting, the heat pump tries to reach that temperature quickly and the electric auxiliary strips are activated.  Using the electric auxiliary heating strips to bring the temperature backup offsets the energy savings from lowering the temperature during the night and might even be counter productive.

If you use a programmable thermostat with a heat pump, program it so the temperature only drops two or three degrees at night to avoid activating the auxiliary heating strips.

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Choosing a High Efficiency Air Conditioner

December 20th, 2011 Posted in HVAC Equipment
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If you are in the market for a new central air conditioning system, you are in luck!  Modern central air conditioning systems are much more efficient than systems manufactured fifteen or twenty years ago.  According to EPA estimates, you can save as much as a third on your energy bills by replacing your old inefficient air conditioner with a new energy efficient model.

The energy efficiency of a central air conditioning system is expressed as its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER).  Modern air conditioners have SEER ratings from 10 to 17.  The higher the number, the more efficient the unit.

Before you rush off and buy the most energy efficient model on the market, take the time to evaluate your air conditioning needs and decide which model would provide the best return on your investment.  The highest efficiency units are more expensive than standard efficiency units.  Your HVAC professional can help, but what you need to look at is whether the energy savings from the higher efficiency air conditioner is greater than the difference in the purchase price.

If you live in a very warm climate where your air conditioner will run a lot, you will probably come out ahead by paying more for a more efficient new HVAC system. On the other hand, if you live in a cooler climate where the air conditioner is used infrequently, a less expensive, less efficient system would be the most economical in the long run.

In either case, be sure to have your HVAC technician install a new programmable thermostat that’s matched to your system to maximize your energy savings and minimize your carbon footprint.

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HVAC System Fan Setting

December 20th, 2011 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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You may not have given it much thought, but if you take a look at your thermostat, you’ll probably see that it has two settings for the fan:  auto and on.  On the auto setting the fan only runs when the system is either heating or cooling.  With the fan set to on, the fan runs continuously.

There are pros and cons of each setting.  The choice of whether to set your fan to on or auto depends on your situation.  Leaving the fan in the on position uses more electricity than setting it to auto.  If you have an older traditional furnace and air conditioner system, the fan uses quite a lot more electricity when it runs constantly.  Depending on energy costs in your area, continuously running the fan on these systems could cost $300 to $400 more than leaving the fan on auto.

If you have a new, energy efficient HVAC system with a variable speed fan, the cost difference is somewhat less; about $50 to $100.  In addition, running the fan continuously will reduce the system’s ability to dehumidify the air in your home.  Some of the moisture that condenses on the coils and would ordinarily drip into the drip pan and be drained will instead be blown back into your home.

The advantages of running the fan all the time include improved indoor air quality and more even heating and cooling.  By continuously circulating the air, hot and cold spots in your home will be less of a problem.  Also, your furnace filter will capture more dust and other airborne contaminates if the fan is always on.

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Should I Buy a Natural Gas Or Propane Furnace?

December 20th, 2011 Posted in Furnaces
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Most gas furnaces are available set up to operate using either natural gas or propane.  Naturally, buyers want to know which is better.  Before you even get to that debate, you have to determine whether you even have a choice.  Propane is more easily compressed into a liquid state that can be stored in a tank and is delivered to your home in a tank truck.  Most homes can have a propane storage tank installed so propane is a viable alternative for most homes.

Natural gas does not compress as easily as propane and is usually delivered through a municipal pipeline.  If your area has natural gas service, then you can choose between the two energy sources.  If there are no municipal gas lines serving your area, your only alternative is propane.

Assuming you have a choice, it doesn’t make much difference which type of gas you use from a comfort standpoint.  The heat provided by a natural gas furnace is not significantly different than that provided by propane furnace.  You won’t notice much of a difference between the two types of fuels in terms of comfort.

The real difference is in the cost of the two energy sources.  Propane is more expensive than natural gas, but it is also more efficient.  It takes more natural gas to produce the same amount of heat produced by a given amount of propane.  Your local HVAC contractor can help you determine which fuel is more cost effective in your area.  Don’t forget to include the cost of buying a propane storage tank and the cost to hook up to the municipal gas line in your calculation if necessary.

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Has My Heat Pump Gone Haywire?

December 8th, 2011 Posted in Heat Pumps
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A heat pump is one of the most cost effective ways to heat and cool your home.  Heat pumps work just like conventional central air conditioners in the summer, but in the winter they are able to reverse the process and move warm air from outside to the inside of your home.  They are a less expensive heating alternative because they use electricity and refrigerant to move heat rather than creating heat.  Electric heating uses much more electricity than a heat pump and heat pumps are less expensive to operate than gas or oil fired furnaces.

If you are the proud new owner of a heat pump, you may have observed some unusual behavior when you switched from cooling to heating and you may be wondering if your heat pump is working properly.  For example, if you’ve seen puddles of water or ice under your heat pump and water vapor streaming from your heat pump, don’t be concerned.

When the heat pump is working in cold weather, ice can build up on the coil in the outdoor unit.  When necessary, your heat pump goes into a defrost cycle to melt the ice.  The heat pump temporarily reverses and pumps warm refrigerant through the outdoor coil to melt the ice, creating a puddle of melted water under your heat pump that will turn to ice if the weather is cold enough.

Once the defrost cycle has ended, the heat pump will again reverse direction and resume heating your home.    This often accompanied by a “swooshing” sound and a cloud of water vapor may form as cool, damp air is drawn past the warm coils.  All of these are the sights and sounds of a heat pump operating normally.

If you have any concerns that your heat pump is not working properly, call a reputable local HVAC contractor with experience in heat pumps.

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Advantages of a Ductless Mini Split System

December 6th, 2011 Posted in HVAC Equipment
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A ductless mini split heating and cooling system is an alternative to a traditional split system that can be the perfect solution in certain situations.  A traditional split system heat pump or air conditioner has an outdoor condenser hooked to an air handler inside the home.  The air handler distributes the heated or cooled air throughout the home through a network of ducts.

A ductless mini split system works exactly like a conventional split system except that instead of a network of ducts, there is an air handler in each room that delivers the conditioned air to that room.  Each air handler is connected to the condenser by a line set for the refrigerant and has its own thermostat.

These systems are an excellent alternative for retrofits to homes and buildings that did not have a central heating and cooling system installed and lack the space needed to install a duct system.  There is no ductwork involved with a mini split system.  The air handler simply mounts on the wall and delivers conditioned air directly to the room.  They also work well in homes that would benefit from zoned heating and cooling.  Since each air handler is controlled by its own thermostat, the temperature and humidity in each area of the home is easily controlled.

Homes with finished attics, basements, additions, and bonus rooms over the garage are often great candidates for zoned heating and cooling and ductless mini split systems make zoning for these applications a breeze.    Your HVAC contractor can help you decide if a ductless mini split system is good solution for your HVAC needs.

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Choosing a Programmable Thermostat For Your Heat Pump

December 6th, 2011 Posted in HVAC Accessories
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A programmable thermostat is an excellent energy saving piece of equipment.  According to EPA estimates, by automatically adjusting the temperature of your home to match your work and sleep schedule, a programmable thermostat can save up to $180 per year in energy costs.

In the winter, a programmable thermostat lowers the temperature setting while you are sleeping or at work, and automatically raises the temperature so that your home is comfortable when you wake up or get home from work.  It works the opposite in the summer.

If you have a standard gas or oil furnace, most universal programmable thermostats will work fine.  Your HVAC technician can install one for you or you can choose one of the many programmable thermostats available at your local home improvement center if you are the do-it-yourself type.

If you have a heat pump, you should talk to a reputable HVAC contractor who has heat pump experience and carries HVAC accessories and optional components.  Until recently, most programmable thermostats worked fine when the heat pump was used in cooling mode, but they were not very effective at saving energy for heat pumps in heating mode.

When the temperature setting is increased more than a couple degrees, most heat pumps rely on auxiliary electric heating strips to help bring the temperature up to the desired setting.  Using the auxiliary heat cancels out the energy savings from lowering the temperature at night.

There are now some thermostats specifically designed to work with heat pumps.  Your HVAC professional can help you choose the right thermostat for your heat pump and make sure it is installed and set up to work properly with your equipment.

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Clearing a Clogged Condensate Line

December 6th, 2011 Posted in HVAC Maintenance
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A central air conditioner or heat pump not only cools the air in your home, it extracts moisture from the air which makes the air feel cooler and keeps your home comfortable.  The moisture collects (or condenses) on the coils inside the air handler which is the unit inside your home.  The condensate drips into a drip pan and is carried away by gravity through the condensate line which is typically a white PVC pipe.

Depending on where your system is installed, the condensate flows by gravity into a drain or outside the home, or it may flow into a small sump pump.  The sump pump is activated by a float switch and pumps the condensate safely out of your house.

On occasion, your condensate line can become clogged.  This is usually due to an accumulation of dust and dirt or algae growth.  Whatever the cause, a clogged condensate line should be cleared.  Otherwise, the condensate will overflow and can cause damage to walls, ceilings, floors, carpets, and your personal property.  In some locations, up to a gallon of water per hour will accumulate so you should get the clogged condensate line cleared before all that water causes damage to your home.

Fortunately, it is not difficult to clear a condensate line.  Sometimes just blowing through the line is enough to dislodge the clog.  If not, try using compressed air or a shop vac to clear the line.  A small plumber’s snake will also usually do the trick.  If you still can’t clear the line, call a good local HVAC contractor.

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Sealing Your HVAC Ducts

December 6th, 2011 Posted in HVAC Equipment
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Your central heating and cooling system uses a network of ducts to distribute heated or cooled air throughout your home.  The EPA estimates that on average, about 20 percent of the air moving through these ducts leaks out before reaching your vents.  All this lost conditioned air means that your HVAC system must work that much harder to keep your home comfortable.

In addition, if your ducts run through areas that get cold or hot like a basement or attic, insulating the ducts can improve the performance of your HVAC system.  Insulating and sealing your ducts can help with uneven heating and cooling problems.  The rooms farthest from your air handler are usually the most affected by this problem.

Some ducts are inaccessible because they are concealed behind walls or in ceilings or floors, but if your ducts are accessible in your crawlspace, basement or attic, sealing them properly can save you money on your heating and cooling bills and keep your home more comfortable.

If you choose to tackle the project yourself, use mastic or metal tape to seal any leaking joints in the duct system.  Be sure to check around where the ducts connect to the vents and make sure these connections are well sealed.  Insulate any ducts you have access to.

A better alternative is to let a reputable local HVAC contractor with experience in air duct fabrication handle the job.  They will do a professional job of sealing and insulating your ducts and can identify any other problems with your ductwork such as improper installation and design.

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