"karel" wrote in message
oups.com...
We just got our heat pump installed. I tried to do my homework on
deciding which way to go. They just finished installing yesterday so
this morning we decided to try out the system. We live in the Pacific
Northwest. Right now the temp is about 50 degrees so not too cold. I
started out at 58 degrees in the house and turned it up to 62 degrees.
A half hour later of constant running and the house has come up one
degree. I called the company to ask them if this was normal. I was
told that to come up 4 whole degrees to expect 2 to 2 1/2 hours for
that amount of temp to come up. WHAT?? Everybody told me how
"efficient" this was going to be. I told them this system is very
INefficient if it takes that long. They said, oh no, this will cost
you much less than plain electric heat. I told them that was called
"COST EFFECTIVE" and had nothing to do with efficiency. Well, they
didn't know what to tell me - that this was the way heat pumps work.
Why didn't somebody address this before. Or didn't I research this
enough. It never occurred to me that it wouldn't heat my home. I'm
really upset by this whole $8,000 experience. BTW, my house is 1900 SF
and I got a 2 1/2 ton 14 SEER American Standard with a 3 ton air
handler. Thanks for letting me vent. karel

A heat pump reverses the inside and outside coils, ( very simplified ).
Heat pumps do not work very well below 45 F. Some would say 40F. I live in
the desert and have my windows during the times when it is below triple
digits, so heat is not an issue for me.

Call the folks back with your best sugar voice and ask to speak to the
"trouble shooter or owner". Then politely ask for them to measure the heat
output, while you are there. Have them explain the process to you.
Inside all of the paper work you got on your unit. There are charts on what
to expect on the cooling, and heating output of the system. These charts
are based on a given outside temp and some other factors.

SEER has nothing to do with heating.
I can not see your installation from here, seems small for the size of the
home.
Might be time to call AS, but they will probably send you back to the
contractor.
Best wishes.