View Single Post
  #4   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
[email protected] trader4@optonline.net is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,500
Default KJ needs help! Heat Pump in MN

On Feb 6, 11:18 am, yourname wrote:
wrote:
I have owned my home for 2 years...this is the coldest winter right
now in many years. My house is at a chilly 45-50 degrees....my heat
pump was working fine until this terrible weather came in (it's been
well below zero...like 20 below on my thermometer).


Is it normal for the heat pump to not really warm my house above 50.
(Keep in mind I live in a chalet/a-frame and the thermometer is on the
windowed side of the house where it has drafty patio doors and house-
entrace doors however, the back bedrooms are chilly too).


The heat pump is having to go into defrost cycle alot (of course, it's
freezingggg out!) How would I know if there was something wrong with
the heat pump and to call a technician? I can't tell if it's just
because it's super cold out OR if there is sometihng wrong that it
won't heat well. Is there a switch on my thermostat I can change to
get me some heat (I read something about emergency heat/electric
heat?) My house is all electric, no gas.


Help!?


KJ


An air source heat pump in minnesota?

IIRc they don't work well in even moderate cold. They work by moving
heat, and there aint no heat at -20.

fire up the wood stove. \

Oh yeah, tighten up those patio doors. That clear shrinky stuff works
wonders- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -



If it's air source, which it sounds like it is, I agree it doesn't
sound like a sound idea for MN. This type system is used in warm to
moderate climates, where temps in the teens aren't common. So, I
doubt there is anything physically wrong with the system. Probably
something wrong with whomever made the choice and installed it. A
geothermal heat pump system would be OK, as would a dual fuel heat
pump system with nat gas. Does it have electrical resistance type
heat as backup? MAny do, but of course the electric bill is the next
problem.