A short radio/YouTube segment (recorded Dec 13, 2016) where hosts Rich and Jenny interview HVAC expert Derek Cole about an incoming cold snap (expected down to 18°F) and potential snow. Cole discusses practical HVAC topics: heat pumps functioning to about 0°F, risks of ice buildup from clogged filters or refrigerant leaks, use and cost of emergency/backup electric heat (heat strips), thermostat settings and programmable thermostats (Energy Star recommends programming), and availability of service during storms. He provides contact information for his service.
Questions this video answers
18 degrees
It heats until 0 degrees outside.
910-534-446, 2. (as spoken in the segment)
OneHour.Air carolinas. Com (as spoken in the segment)
Energy Star says, yes. Do it.
Chapters
Oh, we are going to see temperatures drop down to 18 degrees Thursday night into Friday, and there's a possibility of snow next week.
I'm excited.
This is like, Chris, this is your Super Bowl. This is your big game.
We're excited about it. We're ready to go. We got snow chains. The guys have been trained on that. So, you know, whatever it throws at us, we'll be ready.
So if it is snowing and someone has an issue with their. Their heating system, you guys can come out in bad weather as well.
Yeah, we did it a few. It wasn't Christmas Eve a few years ago when it snowed kind of heavy. It might have been 22nd, 23rd, and we're able to get out and take care of some heating problems. So it was not a challenge at all.
If your heat pump is covered with like a. A cap of snow, should you be wiping that off? Does it matter?
It does matter because that heat pump does actually bring in air. It heats until 0 degrees outside. There's heat in the air. So heat pumps going to try to pull the air from outside into the home. Now, if it is covered up and you can't get to it, the emergency heat will provide the heat inside the house.
Okay, and what's the deal when you see. On occasion, I saw it here once or twice. When there's ice buildup in the summer on parts of your heat pump. What the devil's going on?
That's usually two problems. One could be the filter is clogged up. It's not getting airflow, and. Or it could be a refrigerant leak. It could be leaking refrigerant and then causing it to freeze over. But in the summertime, that's. Well, summer and winter, it's not. It's not good either way. But at least the winter, with the heat pump, you do have the emergency heat to keep you warm. It does run up to the electric.
Bill, though, I imagine.
Yeah, it does run the electric bill, so be careful with that.
So it's gonna get to 18 degrees. And let's say you put your thermostat at 70. Does it matter if you put it at 68, 70 or 75? Does it make any difference at all? It's just gonna keep running constantly to try to get anything close to that.
Yeah, and we had that same call this weekend. A lady in Rockdam wasn't. Was used to having a gas unit up north, came down here to a heat pump, and it was kind of running and running. She thought there was a problem. But There wasn't a problem. It was satisfying the temperature. But for the turn off, you would have got cold. So she had her thermostat sit on temperature, and it was just running and running, getting her heat she needs. So, no, it's not. Whatever you're comfortable at is a good temperature. Either way, with the 18 degrees, it's going to activate that backup heat.
Heat strips. That's what I was thinking, because dawn got up on Sunday when it was real cold, and it was set at, like, 69, but she goes 71, 72, 73. And I said, I don't think it's gonna make a difference because it was 22 out.
Right.
Does it make a difference?
It is. It's just gonna abdulate that heat strip. Oh, it is. So it's gonna run longer to get at that temperature. So the lower the thermostat, like mine was on 69 when it was so cold. So I went into a thermostat and lowered it 67 just to turn it off.
Okay.
Because I knew what was happening.
To turn off the strip. Yeah. Okay.
Because that will save on your electric bill.
I was fixed to take a shower, and I knew I was going to be warm enough, and, you know, it was just a thing I did.
What about people who put the. The timer thing on their thermostat? Does that help? Is that worth doing?
Timer thing.
You know where you say, I want it to go to drop because I'm leaving for work.
Oh, the program.
The pro. Yeah, the program.
Energy Star says, yes. Do it. Personally, I don't do it. Okay. So, I mean, you're talking, you know, dollars of savings, probably a month. So it really depends on your personal. What you want to do, how you want to be.
You want to be comfortable or hot or cold or however.
Yeah, it's kind of like in the. In the summer time. You know, some people like, well, my thermostat's at 80. I'm like, no, mine's at 75 or 74. Cause regardless if it costs a few extra bucks, I want to be comfortable.
That's exactly right.
For a dollar a day, I'm not gonna sweat in my house.
Exactly.
I'm not doing it, Derek.
Exactly. And there's no reason to freeze either. There's no reason to put Swiss or something and bundle up. And just to save a few bucks.
If people would like more information or they may need your help over the next few weeks, how can they get ahold of you?
Our Phone number is 910-534-446, 2. Or Facebook or OneHour. Air carolinas. Com.
