NWill Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 I received my electric bill last night and about lost my shit. It was more than double last months. My heat was acting up last few weeks, so my dumb ass switched over to "Em Heat." I didn't think much of it - huge fucking oops. After I got my bill last night, I switched over to regular heat and the house is 51 degrees this morning. I have it set to 62 degrees. Changing the thermostat temp does nothing. On Em Heat, the heat keeps up with thermostat setting like normal. When I turn over to regular Heat, it switches over to AUX (defrosting heat pump??) and does nothing. It's making noise and air is coming out, but not heating anything. Suggestions?? -All electric -Temp set to 62, currently 51 and dropping -Outdoor unit is spinning -No breakers trippped -Air is coming out of vents -Aux Heat is on constantly -Trane equipment, all new in 2014 -$436 bill on 1450 sq.ft. and set at 62 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattKatz Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Well, Ill tell you right now your heat pump is probably "Locked out" on low temp and youre stuck with emergency or back up heat until the temps get up a little bit. Heat pumps usually lock out around 20* because they cant create enough heat ransfer below that to keep up with a homes heat loss. the call it the balance bubble and it depends on the pumps efficiency.....SO until it warms up you might be stuck with emergency heat. Its hard to explain this all to guys who don't do this kind of work, but I hope this makes some sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWill Posted January 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Yeah I get what you're saying. Crap. So the chance of the thermostat needing replaced is slim. Was hoping for the easy fix. Thanks for the response! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radio Flyer1647545514 Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Change your filter. This was happening to me two days ago. Changed the filter and outside temps got back up and my heat setting came back instead of running on aux or em heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Please go outside and check to make sure its not frozen over. Heat pumps are only good for about 10years, how old is yours? Heat pumps are rediculously inefficient in these types of temps. I can and will rant to no end about them in this part of hte country - feel free to search my name and see my other bitchings about them. THey are stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWill Posted January 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Change your filter. This was happening to me two days ago. Changed the filter and outside temps got back up and my heat setting came back instead of running on aux or em heat. I'll try that, Thanks! Please go outside and check to make sure its not frozen over. Heat pumps are only good for about 10years, how old is yours? Heat pumps are rediculously inefficient in these types of temps. I can and will rant to no end about them in this part of hte country - feel free to search my name and see my other bitchings about them. THey are stupid. The pump is less than a year old. I've checked outside, all good there. I understand why you've been bitching about them. So let me get this straight... Hey, we're going to install an efficient heat pump for you, they are great till about 20 degrees. Oh? it gets well below zero? No problem, you'll just have $500 electric bills or freeze. kthnx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 I'll try that, Thanks! The pump is less than a year old. I've checked outside, all good there. I understand why you've been bitching about them. So let me get this straight... Hey, we're going to install an efficient heat pump for you, they are great till about 20 degrees. Oh? it gets well below zero? No problem, you'll just have $500 electric bills or freeze. kthnx Actually, below 32 is when they become inefficient. they were created for places like Florida who only need heatmaybe a few days a year..I think the gas crisis of the 70's is how they made thier way north.. They arent terrible if you have a gas furnace to suppliment it... but most arent set up like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillbot Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 We had a heat pump in Dayton, it wasn't that bad really. It would run a lot when temps dropped below 30 or so, and aux/emerg heat would only kick in when the temps hit single digits but even then it didn't kick a whole lot. My suggestion is to get a good hvac guy out there. Sounds like there's an issue with the outside unit that may need addressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M0nk3y Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 Heat pumps are very inefficient in cold weather. Electricity on a per Btu content is a 3rd less than Natural Gas. Meaning Natural gas contains 3 times as much energy on like for like basis. Also, even with more energy content natural gas is cheaper too (actually much, much cheaper). So when you're thinking about it, you're using more electricity (3 times as much as gas) to heat the same amount of air that is costing you much more. Kind of sucks... Anyways, the issues with heat pumps is that they cannot recover in cold temperatures. If you turn off a unit in the cold, and expect it to catch up it simply can't. You'll lose the building or space. Unfortunately I don't know much on residential units. But you're probably locked out on OA temperature or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XChris1632X Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 It's not locked out due to temperature if it is an all electric unit. I think the guys who are saying it's locked out are referring to units with gas aux heat. Those usually are programmed to lock out at 30-35 degrees. Electric systems are designed continued operation of heat pump regardless of temp. But you say you have high electric bills so I would assume it is all electric. It could be locked out due to a problem but you said it's running. If it was new in 2014 call the company that installed it for warranty repair. If you need someone else call Foust Plumbing and Heating 614-873-5681. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWill Posted January 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 It turns out it was just the filter. Expensive mistake, lesson learned. Thanks guys and gals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XChris1632X Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Just learn from that mistake and don't be one of the repeaters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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