Derek ColeGM, Simmons One Hour Heating & Air · AI HVAC Answers

Can My Unit Heat Faster? | HVAC Tips

5 Feb 2021 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

2:20

In this video Derek Cole explains how thermostat adjustments interact with different HVAC system designs. He notes that heat pumps equipped with backup electric heat strips will activate those strips when the thermostat is raised, causing the home to heat more quickly but at higher cost. He contrasts single‑stage and multi‑stage (or two‑speed) systems, pointing out that most residential units are single‑stage, which limits how fast they can change indoor temperature. For cooling, a single‑stage system can only achieve roughly a 20 °F temperature differential from outdoor conditions, so setting the thermostat far below the outdoor temperature will not produce dramatic results. In heating season, multi‑stage gas furnaces can boost output, whereas single‑stage furnaces run continuously until the setpoint is met. Cole advises against repeatedly jumping the thermostat and instead recommends gradual temperature changes to maintain efficiency and comfort.

Chapters

It kind of depends on your system. If you have backup heat, you know, if you have a heat pump and you have heat strips as a backup source, once you turn that thermostat up a couple degrees, it's going to activate those heat strips. So yes, in that situation, it will make it heat faster Now, obviously it's going to cost more money because you're using the heat strips to supplement the heat pump. That's going to cost more money, but it is going to heat a little faster. The problem we've seen before is really on cooling season, people will call in and say, "Hey, it's 80 degrees in my house. My thermostat's set on 60, still not cooling down." Well, it doesn't work that way. When you get into 2-speed systems or 2-stage systems or multi-stage systems, that does work better for you, but the average consumer has a single-stage system. No matter how far you go down or how far you go up, it's not going to make that big of a deal. I set my thermostat on 60 and it's not getting below 75 and it's 95 degrees outside. Well, it's not going to get below that number because the best they can do is 20 degrees difference than outside. So if it's at 75 and it's 95 outside, it's doing awesome. Now in heating season, like I said, when you have a heat pump, the heat strips will make it activate faster, therefore heating your home faster. But I would encourage you not to do that and just gradually go up on temperature. So I'm not sure if you're sitting in the back and then coming home and going up or what's happening there, but yes, it will activate the heat strips. Now, if you have a gas furnace, if it's multi-stage, then it'll go to high. If it's a single-stage furnace, then it's just going to run until it satisfies. So in that situation, it's not going to make it speed up unless you have, you know, more than one speed on your furnace. Does that make sense? Awesome.