ENERGY BOOMER

How to Stop Cold Drafts from Heat Pumps

Folks who heat their home with heat pumps like the low energy bills. However, they often complain that there is, “a cold draft coming from the registers.”

They may have a valid complaint because heat pumps do work differently than fuel-fired furnaces.  Heat pumps heat with lower temperature air than gas or oil fired furnaces do.  

Heat pumps push air that is just a few degrees warmer than room temperature into the house. This low intensity heated air feels cool.

Fuel fired furnaces put out air that is 30 degrees, or more, above room air temperature. The heated air they put out feels warm.

Because of the lower temperature of the air from heat pumps, they have to move more air to get the job done. Gas or oil fired furnaces will get the job done by running 4 to 6 times an hour and rest between each on cycle.

Heat pumps need to run for a long time and push out more air while they are running to keep homes comfortable.

Reroute Those Drafts Don’t Stop Them

Because the larger volume of air from a heat pump is lower than human skin temperature, it feels cool.

When you can feel the air move, you feel cooler. That is called wind chill. The way to stop feeling a cold draft is to redirect the airflow away from people.

Don’t try to stop or reduce the airflow. Stopping or choking the airflow with cause other performance problems.

Send it up a wall or along the ceiling

The airflow should be directed up a wall or along the ceiling. Avoid pushing the air across the floor or toward where people sit.

To get the job done you may need different diffusers or add deflectors on your existing registers to aim the airflow away from people.

Some folks rearrange the furniture to get away from the drafts.

Do what you can so the air flows across the ceiling or up the walls. Avoid sending the air toward places where people sit.

Areas where people just walk through are not a problem. We expect to feel air movement as we walk, but not where we sit.

Remember that heat pumps move air a large percentage of the time.  They operate efficiently with very little off time. If your home stays warm on the coldest day of the year and your heat pumps runs almost all the time it is sized and working correctly.

Sit out of the draft while you enjoy your low energy bills.

Click here for heat register deflectors from Amazon.

Click here for a free money saving report written by the Energy Boomer titled HOW SAVE MONEY ON YOUR NEXT HEATING BILL

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Tips for Lowering Your Heat Pump's Electric Bill

In the last month, I have had a lot of discussions with my friends who are heat pump users or HVAC technicians. I have learned some information that will help you save money on your electric bill.

They should run almost all the time.

Heat pumps are most efficient when they run almost all the time. During the heating season if your heat pump runs essentially all the time, on the coldest day of the winter it is sized right for the job and is working efficiently.

Same thing is true for cooling in the hot weather. If your heat pump runs almost all the time on the hottest day of the summer, it is not too big for the job.

This may seem backward from what you were used to with a furnace or air conditioner. With a furnace or air conditioner, the less it runs the more you save. With a heat pump, the more it runs the more efficient it is.

Do not set back the thermostat

Do not manually set back a heat pump's thermostat at night or when you go out to work. Without a thermostat specifically designed (expensive and complex) for heat pump setback, the electric resistance backup heat will engage when the thermostat is raised in the morning, resulting in much higher energy consumption.

If you ignore this advice and turn your thermostat down at bedtime, do not reduce it more than 2 or 4 degrees. Do it for your own comfort not to save money. Maintaining a moderate setting all the time is the most cost-effective practice.

Keep it cleaner

Clean or change filters once a month or as needed, and maintain the system according to manufacturer's instructions.

Filter and coil maintenance have a dramatic impact on system performance and service life. Dirty filters, coils, and fans reduce airflow through the system. Reduced airflow decreases system performance and can lead to compressor damage if it continues for an extended period.

Clean and lubricate the fan motor annually to ensure the required airflow is provided for proper operation. The fan speed should be checked at the same time. Incorrect pulley settings, loose fan belts, or incorrect motor speeds can all contribute to poor performance.

Protect the out door unit

Outdoor units should be protected from high winds. High winds may reduce efficiency by causing defrost problems. However, outdoor units should not be fenced in, that will result in recirculation of air over the coil.

They are different than what you grew up with

The other big difference between fuel fired furnaces and heat pumps is in the air temperature coming out of the registers. When you had a furnace, you learned to enjoy the warm feeling of the air flowing out of the registers when the furnace kicked on. The high temperature air moved enough heat into the house to warm it up in a short period of time and then the furnace would kick off.

Heating with a heat pump is different. The heat pump puts out gentler heat. The air coming out of the registers is cooler than you get from a furnace. The air is still carrying heat into the house, but because it is not as warm, it has to run a lot longer to move the required amount of heat into the house.

Because of wind chill, the air flowing out of the registers feels cool when you stick your hand in the airflow. Some folks are uncomfortable with this situation and plug in a space heater or two to make themselves feel warmer.

That just runs up the electric bill.

Use the space heaters only after you have watched the temperature for a while. If the temperature in the house is steady but too low or is dropping, you will need a space-heating boost. If the temperature is warm enough and steady or raising do not use the space heaters, put on a sweater.

Click here for a free money saving report titled HOW SAVE MONEY ON YOUR NEXT HEATING BILL

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GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS: THE ULTIMATE HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM

By Andrew Lake

In a previous post, I described how air source heat pumps can save many homeowners a lot on heating costs. An air source heat pump is capable of removing heat from cooler outdoor air and moving it into your home in the winter. In the summer, it moves heat from the cooler indoor air into the hot outdoor air.

A geothermal heat pump trades heat with the ground instead of the outdoor air. The temperature of the dirt only a few feet under the ground is nearly constant throughout the year. In the winter, underground temperatures are warmer than the outdoor air. In the summer, the underground temperatures are cooler than the indoor air. This allows a geothermal unit to operate extremely efficiently.

In the winter, they provide 3-4.5 watts of heat for every watt of electricity consumed, even on the coldest days of the year. In the summer, the most efficient geothermal units use less than 2/3 as much electricity as the most efficient air conditioners.

A series of pipes must be installed under the ground to trade the heat with the indoors. About 500 feet of pipe must be installed for every 1,000 sq. ft. of home to be heated & cooled. If the yard is very large, the pipes may be buried in 5ft. deep trenches. If the yard is a more typical size, a series of 100-300ft deep wells must be drilled to place the pipes in. Drilling wells is much more expensive than digging trenches.

If you have a good aquifer under your property (if water flows through the rocks such that it can fill up a well), you may be able to install a couple of 100ft. deep wells instead and trade heat with this water instead of the rock. If you have a sizable pond or live on lake or oceanfront property, you may be able to lay the pipes underwater instead of underground. Both of these options are more affordable.

A geothermal heat pump can save most homeowners 50% or more on heating costs. Unfortunately, the costs of installing the ground piping can cost as much as a new automobile. This means that it will take most homeowners more than 20 years to earn back their investment in energy savings. Fortunately, the ground piping is expected to last more than 50 years.

Andrew Lake is a licensed heating and air conditioning technician with Shell Busey's HouseSmart Heating and Air Conditioning in Vancouver, Canada.

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SAVE BIG ON HEATING COSTS WITH AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS

By Andrew Lake

What is an air source heat pump?

An air source heat pump is basically a whole-house air conditioner that can operate in reverse. It can move heat into the house in the winter just like it moves it out in the summer. A heat pump can absorb heat from colder outdoor air and release it into the warmer indoor air, just like your refrigerator removes heat from the inside where your milk is and blows it out the bottom.

The efficiency of an air source heat pump is very high during milder winter days. When the temperature outside is only a few degrees cooler than room temperature, they can operate at about 450% efficiency. This means that every watt of electricity you pay for creates 4.5 watts of heat energy!

Unfortunately, efficiencies drop down to about 200% at freezing, and the heat pump has little ability to produce heat at temperatures below 25F. This means that your current heating system should be kept to warm your house on the coldest days of the year.

How much can I save on energy with one?

How much you can save depends on several factors:

Electricity rates in your area

Heat pumps run on electricity and are most economical in areas with lower electricity prices. A comparison of average electricity prices for each state can be found here.

Current method of heating

Natural gas, the most common energy source for heating in the United States, is also the least expensive. If you are currently using electricity or oil then you have greater potential for savings. If you are currently using an older, less efficient system you will also have greater savings potential. An explanation of how to compare the HSPF efficiency rating of heat pumps to the efficiency ratings of oil and gas systems can be found here.

Size of house

A 4,000 sq. ft. house will probably cost almost 4 times as much to heat as a 1,000 sq. ft. house, but a heat pump that has 4 times the heating capacity should cost less than 50% more. A heat pump is generally a better investment for larger homes than smaller ones.

Size of ducting and electricity supply

Heat pumps work best in homes with larger ductwork and power supplies. Ideally, a heat pump will have about 5,000 watts of power and more than 5 registers for every 1,000 sq. feet of space to heat. Some very old houses don’t come close to having this much power and venting available, so a heat pump will not be nearly as effective.

Climate region

An air source heat pump is ultra efficient on milder winter days but is of little use when it is way below freezing. They are less attractive in areas with very cold winters and lots of snowfall.

In general, heat pumps are attractive in the Pacific Northwest because of the low electricity rates and mild winter weather. They are also attractive to many Northeastern homeowners who are currently using expensive oil to heat their homes. Despite their low heating costs, many Southern homeowners would be wise to invest in a heat pump when their air conditioner needs to be replaced. They only cost about 20% more than an AC unit.

Unfortunately, they aren’t as appealing in the Mountain and Midwestern regions, because of moderately high electricity costs and colder winters. Some of these residents may be attracted to geothermal heat pumps. They are the most efficient way to heat your home and are effective even on the coldest winter days. Check back for a post on these soon.

Andrew Lake is a licensed heating and air conditioning technician with Shell Busey's HouseSmart Heating and Air Conditioning in Vancouver, Canada.

The next installment in this series will cover Geothermal Heat Pumps.

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