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From: avolio@decuac.UUCP (Frederick M. Avolio)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Heat pump/water heater energy conservation
Message-ID: <728@decuac.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 14-Dec-85 08:09:34 EST
Article-I.D.: decuac.728
Posted: Sat Dec 14 08:09:34 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Dec-85 23:38:25 EST
References: <237@neurad.UUCP>
Organization: ULTRIX Applications Center, MD
Lines: 38

In article <237@neurad.UUCP>, donn@neurad.UUCP (Donn S. Fishbein) writes:
> First, the manual for my heat pump recommends setting one temperature and
> making no further adjustments.  Is it more economical to set back the

Here's how a heat pump (kind of) works.  It uses the compressor to produce
(extract really) heat.  If the temperature in the room and the temperature
you want is more than 4 (settable) degrees, it kicks in the heating
coils (furnace) to get the house up to the desired range and then maintains
it with the compressor.  If the temperature ever drops below 4 degrees
under the set temperature, again the coils are used.  And most have an
override button in case the compressor isn't working.

In most cases, it is cheaper to have the compressor maintain the
temperature than to employ the heat coils every morning to bring the house
up to temperature.  The only case in which it wouldn't be is if you -- by
hand -- raised the thermostat a few degrees at a time so that that coils
were never employed.

But, if you are usually home (and awake) only a few hours a day, it may be
better tpo set it down.  The only time we turn it down is when we are going
to be gone a day or more.

> or is the heat pump incapable alone of affecting the change?  Is it more

It is not very effective in raising the entire house temperature a great
amount.

> Finally, with regards to the hot water heater, is it advisable to install a
> timer so that it only runs when people are likely to be home.

You might take out teh heater and install an instant hot coil unit. That's
not really what they are called, but something like that.  If the tank is
insultated well, you might do well to put a timer on the thermostat on it.
For most people, the energy needed to reheat the whole tank is much greater
than that required to maintain it.  Water holds the heat pretty well in
an insultated tank.
-- 
Fred @ DEC Ultrix Applications Center    {decvax,seismo,cbosgd}!decuac!avolio