"Home owner" wrote in message
oups.com...
I live in Southern Maryland. This year we had a heat pump installed
with propane backup heat. Early on we were using a lot of propane
because I was turning the heat down to 55 at night. I have rectified
this by setting the heat to 68 when we are home and 66 when we are away
or asleep. Is 2 degrees the most I should fluctuate it on a daily
basis?

Secondly and this is my main question... I have heard that heat pumps
are no longer efficient at 30 degrees. So when I see a stretch of a few
days that are going to be cold, below 30 degrees, should I just turn on
emergency heat? Thus turning off the heat pump for these cold days when
it would be inefficient? Currently it tries until it can't keep up. I
am thinking this time when it trying it is just burning my electricity
and cash. Would this be the most efficient way to heat?

If it hasn't been done already, you should have had an outdoor thermostat
installed that automatically switches over to propane when it gets down to a
certain temperatrure. SMECO recommends 35 degrees but I have seen it set as
low as 28 and as high as 42. Depends on your comfort. Who installed your
system? T.N. Bowes? Or did one of the propane companies install it?

I have a mnaual switch for the aux heat (on my heat pump) and I only turn it
on when the temps get down in the low 20s. I have no backup other than the
"heat strips" (aux heat) and my heats fine. My electric bill still does not
match what I was spending on oil.

I'm moving if SMECO raises the damn rates again......