[TheForge] WAAAAAAAAY OT

[Grover Richardson]

Heat pump user, and electric water heater.  The wife is frightened of gas.

The heat pump does reasonably well if::

1.	It is adequately sized.  Look at the size recommended for a home of
your size, in your area.  There will be a range of sizes.  
	Look at what the installer wishes to install.  Our home was slightly
undersized, as it was the smallest recommended for out size home.  They
installed this one because it was cheaper.  Well, cheaper to pay for up
front, but it does not keep the house exactly the way that we like.

2.	The outside temperature is above say 45 or so.  If it's colder
outside, then it automatically goes into "auxiliary heat mode," which means
that it brings on the electric heater strips inside the heat exchanger
compartment inside the house.  A heat pump (or generic air conditioning
unit) only is designed to provide (for example) a 30 degree differential
between one heat exchanger and the other.  I guess at the 30 degree
differential, someone else here should know.  When the differential gets too
large, then it can't keep up and the heating strips come on.  Our auxiliary
heat is electric.

3.	The humidity isn't too bad.  In high humidity, when it's cold, the
outside unit freezes up solid.  There is a cycle built in for defrost, but
it (near Atlanta Georgia) is insufficient to remove all the ice.  Ice
decreases heat exchanger efficiency.

4.	Look at where they actually install the outside unit.  NOT outside
in the sun (our problems are more related to having enough cooling, the heat
strips take care of the heating).  NOT where the water flows off the roof
and hits the top of the unit.  Generally they are installed about 2' from
the house structure.  If you don't have gutters it's a problem.  While
warming up after an ice storm, I heard a most awful noise.  The ice was
loosening up on the roof, sliding down, and into the top of the unit,
therefore hitting the cooling fan blades.  I had to turn it off (of course
it was cold) and place a sheet of plywood on top of it to protect it until
all the ice was melted.
	And it's hard to get into to work on if you are big like me<G>.  The
access door is towards the house.  Yes, I sometimes go in there and repair
it.

	The heat pumps that have lines that go under ground and suck heat or
cold from there I have heard are more efficient.

	Don't plant shrubs within about 10' of it.

	Make certain that they run the control wires right alongside the
Freon pipes.  Otherwise they get caught up in the weed eater when the kids
use it.

	Make certain that they don't run the condensate drain so that it
dumps near the condenser.  Creates a swamp.

	I keep my blower on 24/7 to keep the dust down in the house.  I have
to change my filter every 2-3 weeks.  In the woods with a dirt driveway. 

	All the Best


>*>-----Original Message-----
>*>From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
>*>[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dan Scheid
>*>Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 9:09 PM
>*>To: 'Sponsored by ABANA'
>*>Subject: [TheForge] WAAAAAAAAY OT
>*>
>*>
>*>Ok since we have a broad band of knowable people from all 
>*>walks of life I have a question that I don't even know where 
>*>to start. I'm building a house in SO. Ca. with acreage. The 
>*>question... is do Heat Pumps work for a simple 2000 sq foot 
>*>home in this climate? I can not find a source or a 
>*>contractor that does it for residential all commercial. I'm 
>*>not a warm fuzz sort I just don't want to pay any more to 
>*>heat or cool this house then I have to. We are going on grid 
>*>with a solar assist. Commits  are most welcome Dan Scheid
>*>
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