Part 7 of Air-Source Heat Pumps. Heat-pump performance will deteriorate without regular maintenance and service. The difference between the energy consumption of a well-maintained heat pump and a severely neglected one ranges from 10 to 25 percent. Regular Maintenance Either the homeowner or service technician can perform the following routine maintenance tasks: Clean or replace […]
Part 6 of Air-Source Heat Pumps. Like combustion heating systems, you control heat pumps using thermostats. If you leave and return at regular times everyday, you’ll save money by using automatic thermostats, which minimize energy use during the times the home is unoccupied. However, choosing an automatic thermostat’s reactivation time requires considering the duration of […]
Part 3 of Automatic and Programmable Thermostats. Because programmable thermostats are a relatively new technology, you should learn as much as you can before selecting a unit. When shopping for a thermostat, bring information with you about your current unit, including the brand and model number. Also, ask these questions before buying a thermostat: Does […]
Part 1 of Automatic and Programmable Thermostats. In our modern, high-tech society, we don’t think much about some of the electronic gadgets in our homes. Take, for example, the ever-present thermostat—a staple of American households for decades. It usually takes the shape of an unassuming box on the wall, but that modest device controls the […]