In particularly cold climates, the heat pump in a home might not seem as if it is working hard enough to produce heat. Although the air is around body temperature, you could still be left with a chill. If you live in a cold climate, here is what you need to know about heating your home with a heat pump.
Why Does It Still Seem Cold?
To understand why your home might still seem cool even though the heat pump is operational, you need to understand how it works. A heat pump works by taking air from the outside of your home and pulling it into the pump. The heat from the air is extracted by the refrigerant and converted into a hot vapor. The vapor is then pushed through the ducts in your home.
Your heat pump relies on warmth found in the intake air to heat your home. The lower the temperatures are outside, the less heat is found. As a result, your heat pump will struggle to produce the heat needed for your home. The heat produced will likely be around body temperature, but if you want your home to be warmer, you will need to take other measures.
What Can You Do?
There are several steps you can take to give your heat pump the boost needed to provide more heat to your home. One way is to install supplemental heat strips. The heat strips are basically coils of electric heat. Air will flow over the strips, which will result in warmer air being distributed in your home.
It is important to note that your energy costs could increase with the use of the strips. However, you can prevent this from happening by opting for a constant temperature for your thermostat. On colder days, you can raise the temperature gradually, if necessary.
You should also consider mounting your outdoor unit. If you live in a snowy climate, the snow can impact the performance of your heat pump and result in higher energy bills with no real heating results. If possible, place the unit where it can be covered.
Talk to your residential heating technician to learn of other ways you can improve your heat pump's performance during the colder months. He or she can also help you determine if there are other ways you can supplement the heat from the pump without driving your energy costs too high.
Share11 July 2017
My sweet spouse and I are building a new master bedroom onto our small home. I’m so excited about this fun, renovation project. I’ve already started shopping for beautiful furniture to fill this bedroom with. Are you currently searching for the perfect pieces of furniture to put in a new bedroom? If your bedroom contains a large closet, you might not need to buy a dresser. Instead, you may want to invest in a large bed complete with a decorative headboard and a footboard. You may also wish to look for a gorgeous chaise lounge to relax in while you read books at nighttime. On this blog, I hope you will discover valuable tips to help you buy pieces of furniture you’ll cherish for many years to come. Enjoy!
