Understanding Your Heat Pump’s Odd Habits

May 9th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
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A heat pump is an excellent, energy efficient heating and cooling system that works great in a wide variety of climates.  Advances in technology have made heat pumps as reliable as a standard forced air heating and cooling system and improved their heating ability in cooler climates.  As energy costs continue to rise, many homeowners are replacing their existing forced air systems with energy efficient heat pumps.

If you are the proud owner of a new heat pump, you are probably already aware of the benefits of energy efficient heating and cooling that a heat pump can provide.  What you may not know is that a heat pump can take a little getting used to.

When running in air conditioning mode, your heat pump will operate almost exactly like your old central air conditioner.  One thing you may notice is that it runs a little longer than your old system did and may run constantly on extremely hot days.  Heat pumps are sized for efficient operation during normal temperature ranges.  Continuous running is to be expected during abnormally high temperatures.

In heating mode, you will likely notice that the air coming out of the vents is not as warm as with a furnace, especially in very cold temperatures.  This is completely normal and not a sign that there is anything wrong with the heat pump.  The heat pump will run longer to maintain comfortable temperatures.

Finally, in cold weather a heat pump periodically cycles into a defrost mode to prevent ice build-up on the coils.  During the defrost cycle, you will hear a “whooshing” noise and the outdoor compressor unit will be running, but you may not feel warm air coming out of the register.

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Set Back Thermostats Not Optimal For Heat Pumps

April 11th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
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One of the most cost effective ways to save money on heating and cooling costs is to lower the temperature setting on your furnace or raise the temperature setting on your air conditioning system while you are sleeping or while your home is empty during the day.  You can do it by manually adjusting your thermostat, but savvy homeowners will realize the most savings and improve comfort by automating the process with a set back (or programmable) thermostat.

These thermostats can be programmed to adjust the temperature setting on your heating and cooling system throughout the day.  You can set them to make the adjustment to the energy saving setting after you have left home for the day or gone to bed at night and to return to the comfort setting shortly before you arrive back home or wake up in the morning.

However, these thermostats work best on traditional HVAC systems that use a furnace with a central air conditioner.  If you use a heat pump for heating and cooling, a set back thermostat will not be very effective.

Heat pumps are very efficient in heating mode, but they are often equipped with supplemental electric heat strips that kick in when the heat pump cannot keep up or when the temperature setting is increased more than one or two degrees.  These electric heat strips will activate whenever the thermostat returns to the comfort setting and any energy savings from the lower economy temperature setting will be offset by the high energy use of the electric heat strips.

With a heat pump, you are generally better off if you “set it and forget it.”  There are a few set back thermostats specifically designed to operate with a heat pump.  You should talk to a good HVAC technician about selecting and installing one of these specially designed thermostats for your heat pump.

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Heat Pump Misconceptions

March 12th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
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When it’s time to replace your old heating and air conditioning system, don’t overlook heat pumps as an energy efficient alternative to a central air conditioning system coupled with a traditional gas or oil fired furnace.  Many homeowners don’t even consider installing a heat pump because they have heard that heat pumps are unreliable and heat poorly, especially in temperatures below freezing.

These misconceptions are based on heat pump systems that were marketed twenty and thirty years ago.  When heat pumps were first introduced to the residential heating and air conditioning market during the energy crisis of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, they had some problems that earned them a poor reputation.

A heat pump is essentially a central air conditioner that can operate in reverse.  In air conditioning mode it absorbs heat from inside the home and moves it outside the home.  In heat mode, the cycle is reversed.  Early residential heat pumps were rushed to market during the energy crises and used standard modified air conditioner compressors that were not robust enough to handle this double duty and as a consequence, compressor failures and other breakdowns were common.

As the years went by, it became clear that heat pumps were far more energy efficient than a traditional furnace and manufacturers set about making them more reliable.  As a result, modern heat pumps are equipped with compressors and other components specifically designed to withstand the demands place on them by a heat pump.  Modern heat pumps are not only the most energy efficient home heating system on the market, but they are every bit as dependable as a central air conditioning system or furnace.

Talk to your heating and air conditioning contractor about whether an energy efficient heat pump makes sense for your home.

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Energy Savings With Heat Pumps

January 18th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
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Modern heat pumps are an excellent, energy efficient heating and cooling system for most American homes.  A heat pump is an HVAC system that handles both the heating and cooling of your home.  Despite a slow start when they were first introduced, heat pumps are now considered to be one of the most cost effective, energy efficient heating and cooling alternatives.

Heat pumps are very efficient heating systems because they use electricity to move heat rather than creating it.  Since they don’t create heat, they are much more efficient than most other heating alternatives such as furnaces that burn fossil fuels or use electric heating elements to create heat.

Most homes with a traditional furnace and central air conditioning system can be easily retrofitted with a split system heat pump.  These look a lot like a traditional central air conditioner and operate like a traditional central air conditioner in the summer when they are in cooling mode. They absorb warmth inside the home and discharge it outside the home.

When switched to heating mode in the winter, the heat pump operates in reverse to absorb warmth outside the home and discharge it inside the home.

The first heat pumps that were mass produced in the 1970’s were poorly designed and installed in homes with inadequate weatherstripping and insulation.  The result was that heat pumps initially earned a reputation for needing frequent repairs and for poor heating performance, especially in colder climates.

Today, heat pump technology has improved to the point that the opposite is true.  Modern heat pumps have excellent reliability and do a great job of heating in all types of climates, even those with prolonged periods of below freezing temperatures.  They are very efficient in both heating and cooling modes and can save homeowners a bundle on energy costs.

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Geothermal Heat Pumps

January 18th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
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A heat pump is an excellent, energy efficient heating and cooling system. The two most common types of heat pumps are geothermal (also called ground source) heat pumps and air source heat pumps.   Heat pumps work by using electricity and a refrigerant to move heat from one area to another.  In cooling mode, they absorb heat from inside your home and release heat outside your home in pretty much the same way a conventional central air conditioner does.

In heating mode, the cycle is reversed – the heat pump absorbs heat outside the home and releases it inside your home.  An air source heat pump absorbs heat from or releases heat to the outside air using an outside above ground condenser and fan unit just like a central air conditioner.

Instead of the above ground condenser, a ground source heat pump uses a network of pipes buried under ground to absorb or release heat depending on whether the system is in cooling or heating mode.

Geothermal heat pumps are even more efficient than air source heat pumps because the ground stays at a relatively constant temperature.  They are also quieter because they don’t have an above ground condenser and fan.  The lack of a condenser and fan means they last longer than an air source heat pump and need fewer repairs.

The main disadvantage of a ground source heat pump is their initial cost.  A ground source heat pump can cost three to four times as much as an air source heat pump.  However, the higher initial cost will be offset by lower energy costs.  Your local HVAC contractor can help you decide if a ground source heat pump or an air source heat pump makes better sense for your home.

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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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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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Heat Pump Negatives

November 10th, 2011 Posted in Heat Pumps
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Heat Pumps are an energy efficient way to heat and cool your home.  Heat pumps operate just like a central air conditioning system to cool you home and work in reverse to heat your heat.  Because a heat pump uses electricity to move heat instead of creating heat, it can operate more efficiently and less expensively than most furnaces.

However, heat pumps do have a few drawbacks to consider before you make the investment in a new system.  The main concern about a heat pump is that its ability to heat efficiently is reduced at lower temperatures.  This used to be a bigger problem than it is today.  Advances in heat pump technology have made heat pumps effective and efficient in temperatures around freezing.

They can also heat your home in occasional periods of below freezing temperatures, but they lose some of their efficiency advantage. Supplemental electric heating elements can be added to a heat pump to help in these occasional low temperatures, but when operating in supplemental heat mode a heat pump loses most of its efficiency advantage.

If you live in an area that gets consistent and sustained temperatures below freezing, a heat pump may not be the best choice for winter home heating.  However, some homeowners use a heat pump for summer air conditioning and energy efficient spring and fall heating before turning on the furnace for heating during the coldest months.

Since heat pumps handle both heating and cooling, they run throughout the year which leads to concerns that they may wear out sooner than separate air conditioning and heating units.  This is probably true, however they last so long that the problem is negligible.  After 15 to 20 years of service, it is probably time to be shopping for a newer, more efficient system anyway.

A reputable local HVAC contractor who handles heat pump installation and repair can install a great new energy efficient heat pump in your home.

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Cool Climate Heat Pumps

November 10th, 2011 Posted in Heat Pumps
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A heat pump is an energy efficient home heating and cooling alternative.  A heat pump is essentially a central air conditioning system that is equipped to operate in reverse during the winter.  A heat pump’s efficiency is based on the fact that it moves heat from place to place rather than creating heat.  In the summer, it moves heat from inside your home to the outside and in the winter, it takes heat from outside your home and moves it inside.

It may sound counterintuitive, but a heat pump can extract heat from cold air although its efficiency suffers at temperatures below freezing.  For this reason, heat pumps have generally been considered best suited for moderate climates.

However, if you are replacing your heating or cooling system, talk to your HVAC contractor about whether a heat pump would be a good alternative for you.  Recent technological advances have made heat pumps more efficient at lower temperatures so they are suitable for more areas than in the past.

Also, heat pumps can be equipped with supplemental heating strips that improve heating ability at lower temperatures.  In addition, a heat pump can be combined with other heating methods such as a radiant floor heating system, geothermal heating system, solar heating or other alternative heating system.

Some homeowners use a heat pump to heat in the fall and spring before switching to a conventional gas or oil furnace for the coldest months.  Whether a heat pump makes sense for you will depend on your unique situation and the relative cost of electricity in your area.  A reputable HVAC contractor that handles heat pump installation and repair can help you decide if a heat pump is right for you.

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Heat Pumps

November 17th, 2010 Posted in Heat Pumps
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A heat pump is a heating and cooling system that uses refrigeration technology to heat and cool your home.  A heat pump takes the place of a traditional central air conditioner and furnace. In the summer, a heat pump operates much like a central air conditioning unit.  It uses Freon or other refrigerants to absorb heat inside your home and pump it outside.  In the winter, the process is reversed to heat your home.  There are advantages and disadvantages to consider before investing in a heat pump.

One of the primary selling points of heat pumps is that they are very efficient.  Because they transfer heat rather than create it (such as by burning oil or gas or electric heating elements), they are much more efficient at heating your home than a traditional furnace. 

Another advantage is that a heat pump uses a single piece of equipment to heat and cool rather than two separate pieces of equipment such as a furnace and central air conditioning unit.  This means that there is less maintenance and upkeep with a heat pump.  In addition, a heat pump generally produces more even heat with a higher level of humidity than a furnace. 

The main disadvantage of a heat pump is that it does not heat well in very cold weather.  When outside temperatures drop below 40 degrees, a supplemental heat source is necessary.  In addition, a heat pump is more expensive that a central air conditioning system and has a shorter lifespan because, unlike a central air conditioning system, a heat pump is used year round. 

Your local HVAC professional can help you decide if a heat pump is right for you and handle your heat pump installation and repair needs.

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