Heat pumps? Southern Marauders please help.

[rayjay]

Being from upstate NY I am totally unfamiliar with the heating system in my new home in SC. I received my electric bill for two weeks yesterday and I'm like WHAT? I believe I may have done a stupid thing by leaving my thermostat on E HEAT at 60*. Thinking that meant "energy saving" mode. Does it mean electric heat instead? Now if you need to know about oil furnaces and boilers I know quite a bit more. Thank God nothing other than 2 12watt flourscent lights are on there. I return next week.
In my defense, I was provided with zero manufacturer's manuals on anything in the house. I'm learning about termite bonds and such as we go. :rolleyes:
I assume a heat pump can be put on a set back thermostat?

Thanks if anyone knows.

[SC Cheesehead]

Being from upstate NY I am totally unfamiliar with the heating system in my new home in SC. I received my electric bill for two weeks yesterday and I'm like WHAT? I believe I may have done a stupid thing by leaving my thermostat on E HEAT at 60*. Thinking that meant "energy saving" mode. Does it mean electric heat instead? Now if you need to know about oil furnaces and boilers I know quite a bit more. Thank God nothing other than 2 12watt flourscent lights are on there. I return next week.
In my defense, I was provided with zero manufacturer's manuals on anything in the house. I'm learning about termite bonds and such as we go. :rolleyes:
I assume a heat pump can be put on a set back thermostat?

Thanks if anyone knows.


E heat would be emergency electric, not energy saving.... ;)

Heat pumps work different that what we know as "traditional" heating units, better off setting them at a temperature and leaving them. Also, they don't respond well to drastic changes in temp, so if you set it on 60, then come back a week, or month, or whatever later and then bump it up to 70:

1. It'll take quite a while to get there.
2. If it senses too wide a temp gap, E heat" will kick in, negating any potential savings you got from lowering the thermostat.

Ask me how I know this...:(

[rayjay]

E heat would be emergency electric, not energy saving.... ;)

Heat pumps work different that what we know as "traditional" heating units, better off setting them at a temperature and leaving them. Also, they don't respond well to drastic changes in temp, so if you set it on 60, then come back a week, or month, or whatever later and then bump it up to 70:

1. It'll take quite a while to get there.
2. If it senses too wide a temp gap, E heat" will kick in, negating any potential savings you got from lowering the thermostat.

Ask me how I know this...:(

Thanks Rex, guess I just learned the hard and exspensive way. :shake: I was trying to figure out how we could have used 865 KW hrs in two weeks, when we were only there for 5 days. Can't wait to see next months bill. Oh my aching wallet. I wonder what other little gems of info I should have known? I have yet to see anything about the HOA. I was told to contact the attorney about that. Guess I'll wait until next week. The other thing I'm not real happy about is it takes 10-14 days for mail to be forwarded? Seriously. I received my electric bill one day before it was due. :rolleyes:

Live and learn.

[STEPS]

SC Cheesehead has got it right




E heat would be emergency electric, not energy saving.... ;)

Heat pumps work different that what we know as "traditional" heating units, better off setting them at a temperature and leaving them. Also, they don't respond well to drastic changes in temp, so if you set it on 60, then come back a week, or month, or whatever later and then bump it up to 70:

1. It'll take quite a while to get there.
2. If it senses too wide a temp gap, E heat" will kick in, negating any potential savings you got from lowering the thermostat.

Ask me how I know this...:(

[IwantmyMMnow!]

On mine, If there's a 2 or more degree difference between 'sensed' temp and temp the thermostat is set at, "E heat" will kick on.

I usually have mine set at 69 (hee hee) and if I know I'll be out for more than a couple hours, I'll bump it down to 67; if I'll be gone for a day or more, I bump it down to 65.

When I return, I'll bump thermostat back up a degree per hour to keep the E heat from kicking in.

Don't fret too much...it'll be warming up in MB by the end of February...and you most likely won't need heat after March.

[rayjay]

Thanks for the great info guys. I'll be there next week and straighten it out. Quite a difference from gas/oil forced air heat. My thermostat here changes the temp 3 times a day. 6 degrees cooler at night for sleeping. Furnace kicks in and the temp is back up in less than 10 minutes.

I'll be at the new place in MB until March. Can't handle the cold and constant weather changes since destroying my lower back. Not real happy about the impact one fall has had on my life. :(

[J-MAN]

It sucks to get old. I've got nerve damage in my lower back that affects my right leg. Had a few therapy sessions by a young lady that I'm sure was a dominatrix in her last job. Getting a test done on the 26th where they stick needles in my leg muscles and apply an electrical charge to check for damage. Yeha!

[rayjay]

It sucks to get old. I've got nerve damage in my lower back that affects my right leg. Had a few therapy sessions by a young lady that I'm sure was a dominatrix in her last job. Getting a test done on the 26th where they stick needles in my leg muscles and apply an electrical charge to check for damage. Yeha!


Nerve conduction study? Been there, done that. It only sounds bad.

[IwantmyMMnow!]

Had a few therapy sessions by a young lady that I'm sure was a dominatrix in her last job.

You got her number? ;)

[J-MAN]

You got her number? ;)

No, but I'm afraid she's got mine.

[cruzer]

Actually, my 5.5 ton "Carrier" heat pump saved me thousands of dollars handling the crazy heat in North Texas. Here are some hints:
1. Run your fan CONINUOUSLY. It will prevent condensation in the ducts and prevent fungus from forming and you will have temp control within +- 1 degree. It is also much more economical than starting and stopping the fan motor.
2. DO NOT USE EHEAT unless your pump is not doing it's job--very expensive--I had 25KVA. You can have the recycling and defrost times adjusted very easily by a QUALIFIED tech--my eheat range was 6 degrees. Set a pretty constant temp--having a programmable thermostat is OK with a 6 degree range.
3. Speaking of Defrost Cycle---a heat pump's outside radiators will ice up in very humid weather at below freezing temps. They have a defrost cycle that is very effective when set properly. They make weird noises when they go into defrost.
4. IN the Summer, the continuous fan is critical--keeps a constant temp and prevents recooling the ducts every time it cycles.

If I think of anything else, I'll post.

I heated a 4,000 sq ft , all-electric, 14 room, two level house with cathedral ceilings for around $400 amonth with the average outside temp between 95 and 100 degrees (we have some of the highest electric rates in the country). If you get it set up properly in the first place, you should get many years of carefree service. They are very sensitive to freon pressure.

Good Luck, stay cool, Maury

[rayjay]

Actually, my 5.5 ton "Carrier" heat pump saved me thousands of dollars handling the crazy heat in North Texas. Here are some hints:
1. Run your fan CONINUOUSLY. It will prevent condensation in the ducts and prevent fungus from forming and you will have temp control within +- 1 degree. It is also much more economical than starting and stopping the fan motor.
2. DO NOT USE EHEAT unless your pump is not doing it's job--very expensive--I had 25KVA. You can have the recycling and defrost times adjusted very easily by a QUALIFIED tech--my eheat range was 6 degrees. Set a pretty constant temp--having a programmable thermostat is OK with a 6 degree range.
3. Speaking of Defrost Cycle---a heat pump's outside radiators will ice up in very humid weather at below freezing temps. They have a defrost cycle that is very effective when set properly. They make weird noises when they go into defrost.
4. IN the Summer, the continuous fan is critical--keeps a constant temp and prevents recooling the ducts every time it cycles.

If I think of anything else, I'll post.

I heated a 4,000 sq ft , all-electric, 14 room, two level house with cathedral ceilings for around $400 amonth with the average outside temp between 95 and 100 degrees (we have some of the highest electric rates in the country). If you get it set up properly in the first place, you should get many years of carefree service. They are very sensitive to freon pressure.

Good Luck, stay cool, Maury

Thanks Maury, wish I had this info a month ago. :( Can't wait to see next months electric bill, even with no one there and heat on minimum. My guess whoever cleaned out the house for the elderly owner just tossed all the manuals for everything in the trash. I need to have this unit serviced ASAP. I wonder if it was loud because it was defrosting??? If it were not for Christmas next week, I'd be on the road right now.

[cruzer]

Go to the unit's manufacturer web site---most have on-line manuals for all their units--you can usually download them free. Good Luck and Merry Christmas. Maury

[rayjay]

Thanks Maury, Merry Christmas to you and yours!

[cruzer]

Hope to meet you at MVXI:burnout:

[rayjay]

Hope to meet you at MVXI:burnout:

I hope to be there. It will make my 4th. I need the stars to align right with the move and selling the house here in upstate NY before I can commit.

[Vortex]

Heat pumps are just air conditioners that work in reverse. They are useless when the outside air temp appproaches freezing because they can no longer remove heat from the outside air to your house. They are supplemented by electric coils when it gets too cold and that is why your electric bills go up. I believe these type of systems are only optimal in places where there are mild winters.

[rayjay]

Heat pumps are just air conditioners that work in reverse. They are useless when the outside air temp appproaches freezing because they can no longer remove heat from the outside air to your house. They are supplemented by electric coils when it gets too cold and that is why your electric bills go up. I believe these type of systems are only optimal in places where there are mild winters.

I believe you are right. Never heard of one being used up here. Thus having no clue how it works and setting wrong when I left last month. :rolleyes:
The latest here is geothermal, very costly startup, but near free once its up and running. You also need enough land to make it work. Now if someone planned a whole neighborhood around it? Hmmm.

[wannaMM]

Last 2 houses I built for my family ,I used "Potable" water heat...Apollo was the brand.
Uses water from your hot water tank(50 gal) to heat home.
As I use a primary heat source (Flame) to heat water, it's pretty efficient.
I used natural gas in MS, using LP "up" here in AL.

[rayjay]

Last 2 houses I built for my family ,I used "Potable" water heat...Apollo was the brand.
Uses water from your hot water tank(50 gal) to heat home.
As I use a primary heat source (Flame) to heat water, it's pretty efficient.
I used natural gas in MS, using LP "up" here in AL.

Interesting idea. Boilers are the most efficent in colder climates, but retro fitting can be costly in other than a ranch type house. Before we decided to move south it was decision time on what to do about heating due to the extreemly high cost of oil. Non copper tubing has come a long way since we thought about going with a boiler 18 years ago. It will be someone else's problem.

I'll see how it goes once I get the furance on the proper setting next week. It certainly can not be more expensive than here. Which right on the official 1st day of winter, actually arrived. I need to get the system serviced too.
Eden Pure heaters seem very popular here for space heating. Pricey IMHO, but they do work. My barber, yes they still do exist, heats his whole shop with one.

[rayjay]

Made it out of the frozen tundra ahead of the lake effect snow backlash off the storm. Upwards of 30" on the ground when we left Thursday. Traffic was a PITA on I95, glad I chose to go my more western route. 14 hrs isn't bad with the stops I have to make due to my back. The heat pump is now correctly set.

Which is cheaper on the electric biil, using the heatpump fan to recirculate the air as Maury suggested or using the ceiling fans? I also need to get this system looked at. I believe the outside unit is making too much noise. Anyone know f they can be lubricated or are they permanently lubed? The squrriel cage motor on our forced air furance in NY needs yearly lubing and maintenance. We rarely needed AC up there, so we used window units if necessary.

[Krytin]

Should be serviced at least once/year if for nothing more than to make sure the coils are clean. Fan(s) may/may not be permanently lubed from the factory. You'll have to check and see what's in there.

[rayjay]

Should be serviced at least once/year if for nothing more than to make sure the coils are clean. Fan(s) may/may not be permanently lubed from the factory. You'll have to check and see what's in there.

Thanks. The inspection I had done prior to purchase said it appeared to have never been serviced, so I planned on having it done. I don't believe the filter had been changed in a long time. :rolleyes:

[martyo]

Thanks. The inspection I had done prior to purchase said it appeared to have never been serviced, so I planned on having it done. I don't believe the filter had been changed in a long time. :rolleyes:

Clogged up filters can cause higher energy usage as well.

And, I am not sure it was made clear her but the "E HEAT" is emergency heat setting so that when the heat pump become inefficient at low temps the "E HEAT" kicks in. The "E HEAT" activates hearing elements (think a giant hair dryer) and makes more heat than the heat pump can.

Many thermostats are set up with a jumper wire so that they automatically run the "E HEAT" as necessary.

And yes, when it is on "E HEAT" mode it is more expensive to run because those heating elements use more electricity than just the heat pump itself.

[sailsmen]

I assume you have heat pumps because you don't have NG?

[Shaijack]

I want to thank all of you for the useful info you have provided

[martyo]

I want to thank all of you for the useful info you have provided

We want you to keep warm Big Poppa!

[rayjay]

Once I got it set up right it seems to work pretty good. It does need to be serviced and I'll address that next week.

Thanks for all the help.