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That sounds about right a heat pump is one of the cheapest ways to heat until the temps drop below the balance point which is usually around 32º+/- a few degrees depending on your system. Have you thought about a humidifier? If your inside temps are a little chilly to you but you don't want to bump the stat up any a humidifier would make a noticeable difference in comfort and you may even be able to turn the stat lower and still be comfortable.
I wanted to add some info for feeling cold @ 72º......The main reason folks tend to move there stats to a warmer temp during winter is the total amount of moisture than can be contained in the air when outside temps. are colder than summer temps is much less. Relative humidity is defined as the amount of humidity in the air as opposed to the maximum it can hold. When cold winter air infiltrates your home and mixes with your conditioned air the relative humidity is quiet a bit lower. For example this summer 72º in my place with 50% RH was comfortable to me. I couldn't get the relative humidity any lower without a dehumidifier. Now that's it's cold outside my relative humidity levels are in the 30-40% range which is a significant amount difference and 72º will feel cooler to me than it did in the summer. Your body requires evaporation to cool itself you may not even know your sweating because it evaporates immediately but you always sweat as a means to keep your body temp from fluctuating. With lower humidity that sweat evaporates more readily. This is most apparent when it's really humid outside and it feels nasty to you. Then the same outside temp with lower humidity can be more bearable. Just thought I would add that in so you know why a humidifier makes sense. Just the opposite is true for summer time if you can get your relative humidity levels lower in the summer you can usually bump the temp. on the stat up some because you "feel" cooler.....Even if the dry bulb temp. is the exact same. Latent heat or humidity contains a good bit of "hidden" heat.
Also sometimes vents are aimed towards the t-stat....make sure this isn't the case. If you can adjust where the throw goes make sure it isn't aimed towards the t-stat and that the t-stat isn't on a wall where heat would be transfered into it. Sometimes the stat is mount on a wall that is next to the mechanical or air handler room and the heat from the water heater and HVAC system transfers through the wall and effects the t-stat operation. This is most notable though by having another thermometer in the house that reads much lower temps than what the t-stat is reading.
Next up we have some info for an air conditioning/heating purchase to get system efficiencies and other information from the leading authority on HVAC testing and certifying. You may notice this sticker on any piece of equipment you will purchase in the US as they certify them. You will need the model numbers of the equipment you are planning on purchasing:
ARI Directory of Certified Product Performance (broken link)
This is the explanation of how those numbers are figured(warning technical and long)
http://www.ari.org/NR/rdonlyres/CE3D72C1-1D53-432B-A3E0-BD0FE39DAB6A/0/2102402006.pdf (broken link)
(This is also the standard that is used to certify your HVAC/R equipment)
Also the tax credits have stopped for existing homes at the end of 2007
"Improvements must be installed in or on the taxpayer’s principal residence in the United States. Tax credits for improvements to new homes were extended until December 31, 2008,however tax credits for improvements to existing homes ended on December 31, 2007. Tax preparers can assist with determining whether home owners qualify when they prepare their income tax statements."
That sounds about right a heat pump is one of the cheapest ways to heat until the temps drop below the balance point which is usually around 32º+/- a few degrees depending on your system. Have you thought about a humidifier? If your inside temps are a little chilly to you but you don't want to bump the stat up any a humidifier would make a noticeable difference in comfort and you may even be able to turn the stat lower and still be comfortable.
Balance point can be much lower it's a variable that depends on the system and it's design.
That sounds about right a heat pump is one of the cheapest ways to heat until the temps drop below the balance point which is usually around 32º+/- a few degrees depending on your system. Have you thought about a humidifier? If your inside temps are a little chilly to you but you don't want to bump the stat up any a humidifier would make a noticeable difference in comfort and you may even be able to turn the stat lower and still be comfortable.
It takes a lot of heat to convert water into water vapor. Adding a humidifier is the same as adding a swamp cooler. They are essentially the same device.
An unvented propane cooktop or catalytic heater will add moisture and heat. On really cold days, I'll open a couple of burners on our cooktop when I get up, to take the pressure off the heat pump.
It takes a lot of heat to convert water into water vapor. Adding a humidifier is the same as adding a swamp cooler. They are essentially the same device.
An unvented propane cooktop or catalytic heater will add moisture and heat. On really cold days, I'll open a couple of burners on our cooktop when I get up, to take the pressure off the heat pump.
Although it's not directly related to energy savings since the rest of this thread has a lot of HVAC literature and IAQ goes along with that here is a nice guide talking about it.
The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality
The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality | Publications | Indoor Air | Air | US EPA (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/insidest.html#Improve5 - broken link)
Also a little more information about miss-matched systems:
If your system normally sees 105ºF+ regularly you will need to compensate if you are changing from a R-22 system to a R410-A system to keep the same capacity at those higher temperatures. The capacity of R-410 systems drops a little faster than previous R-22 system's as the temperatures rise above that. A link to an application experience from D. B. Bivens, J. R. Morley, W.Wells DuPont Fluoroproducts.
"The system capacity at the Critical Temperature is around 60 – 70% of that 35°C (around a 10% greater drop than R-22 experiences over the same temperature range). The rate of performance reduction with increasing condensing temperature is a function of system design." R-410A – Why is it such an Interesting Refrigerant Fluid
It won't effect most folks but I know there are some folks in AZ TX and other areas around there that see those temps. Make sure your HVAC contractor can account for the capacity loss when your designing a new system with him.
Last edited by BigJon3475; 04-08-2008 at 11:52 AM..
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