Heat Pump 101
By
knowing the basics, you'll get the most from your heat pump
WEMC
Marketing Specialist Cindy Haddon wants to teach people about their
heat pumps.
"Today's
heat pump is technologically advanced and efficient," says Haddon.
"But it can't do the job by itself. With a little knowledge, you
can get the most from your heat pump."
"Heat
pumps don't need to burn fuel to create new heat; they move heat
that's already in the atmosphere. You'll enjoy even, temperate comfort,
unlike other types of heating systems that cause radical temperature
swings," continues Haddon.
Your
heat pump's filter may not be easy to access, but it's worth the
effort. The filter on some units can be in the attic or crawlspace,
as Marketing Specialist Cindy Haddon shows. Change or clean your
filter (depending on the type) every other month.
One
key to proper heat pump operation is understanding how the thermostat
operates. "The thermostat makes your wish the heat pump's command,"
says Haddon. She offers this advice:
Setting
Your Thermostat
- Set FAN to
AUTO so the blower that moves air through the ducts operates only
when the unit comes on. If you set FAN to ON, the system's blower
runs continuously, wasting energy.
- Set HEAT/
OFF/COOL to the desired operation. Of course it's COOL in the
summer, HEAT in the winter. Use the EMERGENCY HEAT setting only
if your system's outdoor unit fails. On EMERGENCY HEAT, your indoor
unit's supplemental heating does all the work. Operating on the
EMERGENCY HEAT setting is at least twice as expensive as the heat
produced by the outdoor unit (but it's better than no heat at
all while you're waiting on the repairman).
- Set TEMPERATURE
for maximum savings and comfort, usually 78 in the summer and
70 in the winter.
The Heat Pump's
On Fire!
When the temperature is low and the humidity is high, light frost
may form on the coils of the outdoor unit. This is completely normal
and is no cause for alarm. However, if you see a thick coating
of ice, call your heating and air contractor.
A
light coating of frost is normal, but not this! If your heat pump
ever looks like the one shown on the right, call the repairman.
When
the heat pump senses it's time to melt the frost, the defrost cycle
begins. Your unit will reverse the flow of refrigerant to borrow
some of the heat from indoors to warm the outdoor coils. But don't
worry; during defrost, the supplemental heat comes on to make sure
your home stays comfortable.
"You
may also see steam rise from the unit during defrost, which is completely
normal," says Haddon. "Don't mistake this for your unit being on
fire."
More
Thermostat Hints
Set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature and leave it. During
heating season, moving the thermostat back and forth more than two
degrees causes the supplemental heat to come on. That raises your
electric bill.
When it's extremely cold outside, the supplemental heat will cycle
on and off to assist your outdoor unit. You may see the AUX HEAT
light on your thermostat come on and off intermittently.
Don't be alarmed if your system runs almost continually during severe
cold snaps; it still costs less than older heating technologies,
like space heaters, wall heaters or LP furnaces.
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