A heat pump offers exceptional efficiency and comfort for your Northern California home. However, the settings you’re using can affect how much you pay on your monthly utility bills. Our team at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions is here to help you optimize your heat pump’s performance with the ideal settings while protecting your household budget.
Thermostat Settings and Scheduling
Ideally, you maintain a relatively steady temperature inside your home. You may want to adjust the temperature according to whether you’re using it during the day or at night, or when you’re home or away. Keep the range within a few degrees to avoid large temperature swings. Avoid dropping the temperature by 5 degrees or more. If your system is constantly adjusting to temperature fluctuations, this can trigger your auxiliary form of heat. In most cases, electric heat will cost more than using your heat pump.
Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat to reap the benefits of scheduling. You can create a daily schedule that reflects efficient use. You can also make changes remotely that will benefit your household budget.
Avoid frequent manual changes. The U.S. Department of Energy and ENERGY STAR recommend setting your thermostat to 68°F in the winter. This is warm enough to be comfortable but low enough to reduce energy consumption.
Selecting the Right System Mode
It’s best to run your heat pump in its normal heating mode. Avoid switching it to emergency heat unless necessary. Your emergency form of heat comes with a higher price tag and should be used only when your heat pump is failing to meet demands. You can configure your thermostat so that your auxiliary heat comes on only at a low temperature that you set, for example, if the outdoor air temperature dips below 40°F.
Check to see if your heat pump has an auxiliary heat lockout feature. This is the most aggressive setting available to maintain a comfortable home without compromising efficiency.
Fan Settings and Circulation Benefits
Make sure that your fan is set to the Auto function rather than leaving it on. Running the fan nonstop is inefficient and can lead to equipment strain. In Auto mode, the fan will run only when your heating equipment is functioning. If you need to use Fan mode to promote even airflow, use it intermittently. Additionally, consider consulting a professional to inspect your system. There may be able to suggest modifications that can efficiently promote better indoor comfort.
Using Smart Features
If you have a smart thermostat, you may have access to features like adaptive recovery mode, smart scheduling, or learning features. Utilize these features to ensure you can reach target temperatures without excessively running your equipment. Warm your home during off-peak periods, and avoid excessive use of auxiliary heating during peak usage periods when energy costs more.
Geofencing technology with occupancy sensing helps you avoid overuse of your heat pump when nobody is home. However, you’ll it lets you return to a comfortable home.
Sealing Gaps in Your Home
You can retain heat in your home by sealing gaps and cracks around your windows, doors, and foundation. You can also upgrade insulation levels to prevent your heat pump from overworking to maintain set points. Open curtains and shades in the middle of the afternoon to allow sunlight inside. This can naturally warm your home. Set ceiling fans to turn in the clockwise direction. This helps force warm air back down from the ceiling to benefit you.
Addressing Indoor Humidity
Air feels warmer when it’s more humid. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises that relative humidity should be between 30% and 50% for optimal comfort. Humidity in this range protects against mold growth and indoor air quality issues. You can use a whole-home dehumidifier in conjunction with your heat pump to remove moisture when heating your home. A whole-home humidifier will add moisture back into the air to achieve optimal comfort. Be careful not to let the air get too humid because this can create structural issues and serious health concerns.
Adjusting Your Dampers
Your ductwork has dampers you can adjust to control heated air where you specifically need it. Prioritize the rooms that household members use the most. However, don’t completely close off unused areas. This can lead to humidity issues, static pressure, and strain on the heat pump.
Zoning is another way to direct heat where it needs to go without overusing your heat pump. Separate thermostats enable precise temperature control in each area.
It may be more affordable to use space heaters in rooms that struggle to achieve warmth. This can be more efficient compared to running your heating equipment more frequently to target a specific location. You’ll be able to keep heat pump settings lower and reduce your monthly bills.
Scheduling Routine Maintenance
Schedule our team to come to your home once or twice a year to check your heat pump. We can inspect components, such as your reversing valve, blower, and refrigerant. This is also an opportunity for us to identify and address small issues before they impact comfort and efficiency. A heat pump that undergoes routine service periodically can maintain a higher coefficient of performance (COP). This reduces runtime and electricity consumption. We can also help you adjust your settings.
Consider Solar Gain
There are supplemental strategies that you can use to heat your home while giving your heat pump a break. Harness the sun’s energy to heat your home. Open your shades and blinds on the south-facing sides of your home. On a sunny day, you may notice a substantial increase in the interior temperature of these rooms. To prevent a chill, don’t forget to close things back up once the sun goes down.
There are different products you can use to stabilize the temperature inside your home. For example, insulating window covers prevent cold air from entering. By retaining heat inside your home, you’ll be able to minimize heat pump use.
Bundle up in sweaters and sweatshirts to retain body heat. You can also snuggle up under blankets to tolerate a cooler interior atmosphere. You’ll be surprised how much you can save without having to upgrade or modify your heat pump equipment.
Monitor Heat Pump Performance
There are several smart energy monitoring devices and tools that you can use to track heat pump performance. Take note if your auxiliary heat source is running frequently. After monitoring the data for a few weeks, you can adjust the settings to save money. Adjust by 1 or 2 degrees at a time. Monitor the results, and make another change if necessary.
Schedule an inspection and maintenance for your heat pump to achieve comfort and efficiency. Our team at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions in Northern California can help you fine-tune your settings to lower your winter bills. We can also install a new heat pump when the time comes and perform emergency repairs as needed. Contact us at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions in Roseville or Benicia, CA to schedule an appointment or get more information.
