Heat Pump Frost Ice Buildup. Hi. I noticed that one of my outside heat pump condensing units was laboring throughout the night. This morning I found ice frost buildup on the heat pump condenser fins. I live in Tucson, Az. It has been colder than normal (below freezing) with a bit more moisture in the air than usual as of late.
Can you please tell me what causes this frost ice buildup, and how I go about rectifying it? Does this mean that the condenser pump is shot? I’m originally from the Midwest and have never experienced this before. What should I be doing? Thank you for your help. (more…)
Heat Pump Sequence of Operation - Every electrical-mechanical piece of equipment has a sequence of operation. While some manufacturers of heat pumps vary slightly with their heat pump sequence of operation the overall sequence of operation for a heat pump is the same for most manufacturers. So unless you have a special type of heat pump (they are out there – the Acadia heat pump is designed for extreme cold weather temperatures up North like Canada) the sequence of operation for your heating equipment should be very similar to what is described here. This is the basic operation of a heat pump like you will find in conventional heat pumps. (more…)
Goodman Heat Pump Condenser Flood Protection – This heat pump condensing unit has been installed on the platform. The area where this air conditioning condenser is located is prone to flooding. The platform raises the heat pump condenser at least one foot above the floodplain.
This is usually required depending on the municipality or government agency in charge of mechanical and electrical inspections. If you live in a flood-prone area it is wise to protect the equipment from flood damage. It is possible for the air conditioner condenser unit to run after being flooded. However, the life expectancy is drastically reduced and you will definitely experience mechanical and electrical problems. (more…)
Heating with Heat Pumps | HVAC Systems - There are some people who say that heat pump heat is not as warm as other types of heat. Heating sources such as a hot water boiler or even a steam boiler. Even the forced air gas furnace gets more credit for providing better heat than the heat pump. Heat pumps are extremely popular in the southern states where the heating season is short. Additionally, where the temperature rarely dips below 35 degrees F. (more…)
Air Source Versus Geothermal Heat Pumps - A heat pump is an electric cooling and heating system. It is used to compress and decompress gas to heat or cool a house. This mechanical device pumps heat from a cooler to a warmer location. It can extract heat from the air, water, or the earth. Heat pumps function like an air conditioner in the summer and an electric furnace in the winter.
Therefore, encompassing both a heating and a cooling unit in one device. The COP, or coefficient of performance, calculates the ratio of heat output to electric power consumption. Therefore, COP& measures the performance of a heat pump. (more…)
Have you ever wondered how Heat Pumps work? Heat Pumps can be a very economical way of heating and cooling your dwelling. It depends on geographical location and the cost of electricity in your area. The volatile costs of natural gas, propane, and oil have enabled these conditions. Conditions where it can be cheaper with a heat pump than with fossil fuels. There is a common conception that a heat pump blows cold air.
While this can be true in some cases it is not true. If a heat pump is blowing cold air when in the heating mode then it has a problem. A problem that needs to be corrected. Even when the outside unit kicks into the defrost mode the unit should provide adequate heating.
Heating to heat the zones which it serves. Again, if it is not providing adequate heating then it needs to be looked at for a technical problem. A problem that needs correcting. A well-designed system, working properly and efficiently, can provide competitive and economical heating. (more…)
Heat Pump Problems | HVAC Heating & Cooling - Heat Pumps are very popular especially in the South where air source heat pumps are mostly favored over straight air conditioners with a gas furnace for heating. With a heat pump, one system can provide heating and cooling. Some people rely on a geothermal heat pump system or a water source heat pump. A geothermal heat pump extracts heat from the ground instead of the air like an air source heat pump works. (more…)
Geothermal heat pumps use groundwater or water circulated through pipes to exchange heat with the earth. Geothermal versus air-source heat pump systems use the earth’s natural temperature to exchange heat and provide heating and cooling. The temperature of the air varies widely with the weather. Whereas the temperature of the earth is nearly constant.
This makes the use of a geothermal system ideal for heating and cooling. It also costs less in energy use because of the constant earth temperature versus the widely varying temperature of the outside air. Consequently, geothermal systems make sense and can save lots of money in energy use.
Heat Pump Systems - There are different types of Heat Pumps in use in both the commercial HVAC heat pump markets and the residential HVAC heat pump markets. The two main types of heat pumps are the air source heat pumps and the water source heat pumps (or geothermal heat pumps). Within the water source heat pump types there are several sub-categories. (more…)
Heat Pump Electric Backup Heating Basics. There are different types of electric heating available in homes. Probably the most common use for electric heat other than portable electric heating units is electric heat strips. Electric heat strips used for backup heat in heat pumps. Sizing the electric heat strips for heat pump backup heating applications will depend on many different variables.
These variables include the size of the space to be heated and the insulation values of the whole structure. It also includes doors and windows. Additionally, it includes the geographical location of the dwelling, along with many other factors. Backup heat for heat pumps is essential for the defrost cycle. (more…)
HVAC Tip - Carbon monoxide detectors are important to own for those people who burn fossil fuels for heat. Carbon monoxide is a flammable, colorless, odorless, tasteless toxic gas produced during incomplete combustion of fuel - Natural Gas, Oil, Coal, Wood, Kerosene, etc. Someone suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning generally has severe headaches, nausea, and sinus problems. These symptoms generally begin with mild effects and people usually remain unaware of what the exact problems are until, sometimes, it is too late. How many cracked heat exchangers or faulty furnaces are out there that no one knows anything about except a slight headache and nausea? Don't take any chances, get your carbon monoxide detector and call your local heating and air conditioning company for a heater inspection today. Read more on this subject on the Furnace Page.
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There is a common conception that a heat pump blows cold air.
With a heat pump, one system can provide heating and cooling. Some people rely on a 
Heat Pump Systems - There are different types of Heat Pumps in use in both the commercial HVAC heat pump markets and the residential HVAC heat pump markets. The two main types of heat pumps are the air source heat pumps and the water source heat pumps (or geothermal heat pumps). Within the water source heat pump types there are several sub-categories. 