Heat pumps are very common for heating the home. Heating and cooling your home is almost half of where your utility usage goes. There are three types of heat pumps available for homes. Also see how to troubleshoot heat pumps.

These three types are:

• Air to air
• Water source
• Ground source

Heat pumps will collect heat from the air, water, or ground outside of your home. They will then bring that air inside. In order to cool your home, they work in the opposite direction. They will gather heat from the inside of your home and pump it outside.

Ground source heat pumps are recommended, as they are more energy efficient and economical to operate. While geothermal heat pumps do cost a little more initially, their savings benefits over time far outweigh the initial investment.

Heat pumps supply two to three times as much heat as it consumes in electricity. This is because it moves energy from outside to inside. The efficiency of your heat pump depends on the outdoor temperature. An air source heat pump will decrease in performance with the drop in outside air temperature.

Tips to Lower your Heat Pump Energy Usage

• You should not set back a heat pump’s thermostat manually during the night. Although this seems like it would help with energy, it actually consumes more energy when you have to turn it back up in the morning because of the electric resistance backup. Find a comfortable temperature and leave it on this temperature. It is recommended to set your thermostat at 68 degrees to save on energy consumption.


• Change or clean the filters once a month. Maintain system according to manufacturer’s instructions. This is critical for successful efforts in saving money on energy. A dirty filter, coil, or fan can reduce the airflow through the system. This will substantially reduce the performance of the heat pump, which can lead to damage to the compressor, costing you even more money.


• Cleaning and lubricating the fan motor to the heat pump will allow for optimum airflow and optimum performance. When heat pumps are running up to speed, they are not using as much energy to produce the right results.


• Check the speed of the fan. Be sure it is running smoothly. If the fan is not running properly, then this can result in poor performance, which can suck up the energy. A fan that is not running properly could be because of incorrect pulley settings, incorrect motor speeds, or a loose fan belt. The fan will need repaired or replaced, depending on the extent of defect.


• Outdoor heat pumps need to be protected from the high winds that can reduce the efficiency by causing problems with defrost. It is important that the heat pumps are not placed in a restricted area that will cause a recirculation of air over the coil.


• Take advantage of the auto fan setting on the thermostat. If the fan is run on a continuous basis, the heat pump’s performance will be affected because it will “burn out” much quicker.


• Open blinds and curtains during the day to allow the sun to come in. Close them at night to keep the cold air out.


• Avoid using the emergency heat mode or auxiliary heat mode. The resistance heat elements cost more to operate.


• Remove snow or leaves from around the unit.

Whether you have an energy efficient heat pump or not, there are still things you can do to reduce your heat pump energy usage. Take the steps to save money today.

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Comments (1)

• |2011-01-15 09:19:21 Anonymous
  It is interesting that some web sites and power companies say do not change your temperature setting and now some "climate control professionals" are promoting and selling programable thermostats that change the temperature at various times during the day! I guess I will do both! Change is good! Don't Change!
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