Inadequate Heat vs No Heat

So, the theme of the day is no heat. We definitely have more hot days than cold days here in Florida. However to start the year this year we are having low 30s and highs of 40s. Usually, we have some warm weather to balance out the cold, but not this week. I got several "no heat" calls today and of those only one was an actual "no heat" (even with that one it was barely so). When I arrived the heat was working correctly just not as effectively as the customer would like. There is a big difference between no heat and inefficient/inadequate heat. When I arrive at a home, the first thing I have to determine which category you fall in to... 

If you have a heat pump and your condenser, which is the outside unit, is a big block of ice... do not be alarmed because that is most likely normal. In heat mode, your condensing coil becomes the evaporator coil and will freeze over regularly. This is why heat pump systems have defrost mode. You also may see steam coming from the unit, which is often mistaken for smoke. This is the ice melting off the coil during defrost mode.

Once it gets below 45° outside, most heat pump systems just cannot keep up. This is when it is more efficient to move your thermostat from heat to emergency heat mode. This runs your electric heat strips as the primary form of heat. Units with electric heat settings, depending on size of the heat strips, your heat may seem like it's not working, but actually is just maybe not as effectively as you'd like. 

 A lot of things factor into efficient heat... Insulation, size of your heat strips, size of your unit, outside temperature, inside temperature, filter maintenance, age of system, and age of house, just to name a few. The colder it is outside, the harder an inefficient unit has to run. Sometimes a unit can run continuous all night, and never reach the set temperature, and that is indeed working properly for the limitations within the system. 

So, this was my first work day of the New Year! This is gonna be a record lows kind of week, so I'm excited to see what else the week will bring for me to learn and share. Until next time...

T.M.G.


Beacon Air & Heat, Inc. | Beacon Services & Appliances