JANUARY 13, 2022 Heating and cooling systems installed in a home may vary from central furnaces, boilers, electric baseboards to heat pumps. The most common type of heating/cooling (HVAC) system used in the USA is the central furnace  – which may be singles stage or multi-stage. A heat pump is used in regions with a moderate climate, where summer/winter is not that extreme at any time. In this article, we guide you through heat pump thermostat models, ideal to control the heat pump in your home. As I wrote above, a majority (90%) of homes in the USA rely on central furnace based systems, or boiler-based systems or heat pump systems. Only about 10% of homes in America use electric baseboards for heating (these homes would be either old constructions or located in places where electricity is cheap). In regions with a moderate climate, a heat pump (with emergency heat) alone is usually enough for home heating/cooling. Homes located in extreme weather regions often use a heat pu...

Instead of relying on a standard furnace for heating and a separate air conditioner for cooling, install a heat pump. However, if you plan on using a heat pump to control your home's climate year round, you'll need the right thermostat.   So, what's the difference between a heat pump and a furnace and why does it matter? For a furnace to function, it relies on gas or oil for fuel. In comparison, a heat pump uses electricity and refrigerant, which is usually less expensive.   If you choose a heat pump system, it is ideal for homes in areas that don't get too cold, as heat pumps don't generate as much heat as a traditional furnace. Also, a heat pump transfers heat and requires less energy than a heat-generating furnace.   Be advised, if you will ever experience prolonged periods where the temperatures fall below freezing, you will want a secondary heat source to take over. Heat pumps warm a home by drawing outside heat inside and using electricity.

Manual thermostats are usually less expensive than high-end, internet-connected devices that are programmable. Prepare to spend anywhere from $15 to $300 for a thermostat. The rates for hiring professional installation vary.   You will most likely need to employ an electrician, with an average rate of $65 to $100 an hour for rendering services. If you feel confident enough to handle installing a thermostat without professional help, you can save money.   A home's square footage also impacts the cost of a thermostat installation. The average price range for a thermostat and installation altogether is between $112 and $254. Poor installation is risky and dangerous, so hire help if needed.   If you are on a strict budget, opt for a manual or non-programmable thermostat versus a fancy smart thermostat with all the bells and whistles. A programmable electric thermostat is a middle-of-the-road choice that most will accept.

ou don't really need a programmable thermostat if you have a heat pump. Because a heat pump may need to quickly shift from heating to cooling, it doesn't make sense to set the thermostat at a set temperature for extended periods.   When a heat pump is in heating mode, there may be more energy inefficiency when a programmable thermostat sets the temperature back at designated times. However, there are newer programmable thermostat models for heat pumps.   With a programmable thermostat, you don't want to cause a heat pump to rely on backup electric resistance systems. You usually save on energy and lower bills by keeping your heat pump in cooling mode versus heat mode.   Keep your home comfortable if you use a heat pump thermostat. You may want to set the temperature at a lower point when you're away from home or asleep. A wide range of thermostat settings for a heat pump isn't as necessary compared to a furnace.   Know before you make a final decision on a thermosta...

Proper wiring is essential to create the dual or hybrid heating system brought by a furnace and heat pump. Additionally, a thermostat should connect the two heating units, and it’ll act as the temperature control center for the home. The resulting setup allows the heat pump thermostat to regulate the temperature automatically and more efficiently than before. First, the thermostat will increase the premises’ temperature to a certain temperature using the heat pump. Then, once the outdoor ambient temperature reduces to a specific level, the thermostat will activate the furnace to support the system. Before proceeding, be wary that you shouldn’t run both heating units in ‘Heat Mode’ simultaneously. Otherwise, the system’s overall heat will exceed normal levels, causing issues like physical damage to the heating agents and dehydration to household members and guests. Take note that the items needed for this operation should come with the different devic...

Heat Pump Thermostat Step-By-Step Guide 1.Connect the red 24-volt wire from the furnace’s control board to the wireless heating thermostats. 2.Attach the orange wire from the thermostat to the furnace’s board. Make sure that this connection goes through the heat pump’s board for the thermostat to automatically reverse the cooling mode when necessary. 3.Link the wire in the yellow or 'Y' terminal from the thermostat to the furnace’s board. Then, connect the same wire to the heat pump’s board. 4.Connect the green wire from the thermostat to the appropriately labeled terminal in the furnace’s board. You’ll know that it’s the correct station if it has the letter ‘G’ adjacent to it. 5.Join the aux/e terminal from the thermostat with a white wire to the 'ww1' station in the furnace’s board. 6.Connect the 'w2' terminal of the heat pump’s board with the same white wire used in the previous step to the furnace’s 'ww1'...

Heat pumps offer an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners for all climates. Like your refrigerator, heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house.  During the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your house into the  outdoors. Because they transfer heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can efficiently provide comfortable temperatures for your home. 

There are three main types of heat pumps connected by ducts: air-to-air, water source, and geothermal. They collect heat from the air, water, or ground outside your home and concentrate it for use inside.  The most common type of heat pump is the air-source heat pump, which transfers heat between your house and the outside air. Today's heat pump can reduce your electricity use for heating by approximately 50% compared to electric resistance heating such as furnaces and baseboard heaters. High-efficiency heat pumps also dehumidify better than standard central air conditioners, resulting in less energy usage and more cooling comfort in summer months. Air-source heat pumps have been used for many years in nearly all parts of the United States, but until recently they have not been used in areas that experienced extended periods of subfreezing temperatures. However, in recent years, air-source heat pump technology has advanced so that it now offers a legitimate space heating alte...

Geothermal (ground-source or water-source) heat pumps achieve higher efficiencies by transferring heat between your house and the ground or a nearby water source. Although they cost more to install, geothermal heat pumps have low operating costs because they take advantage of relatively constant ground or water temperatures. Geothermal (or ground source) heat pumps have some major advantages. They can reduce energy use by 30%-60%, control humidity, are sturdy and reliable, and fit in a wide variety of homes. Whether a geothermal heat pump is appropriate for you will depend on the size of your lot, the subsoil, and the landscape. Ground-source or water-source heat pumps can be used in more extreme climates than air-source heat pumps, and customer satisfaction with the systems is very high.

A number of innovations are improving the performance of heat pumps. Unlike standard compressors that can only operate at full capacity, two-speed compressors allow heat pumps to operate close to the heating or cooling capacity needed at any particular outdoor temperature, saving energy by reducing on/off operation and compressor wear. Two-speed heat pumps also work well with zone control systems. Zone control systems, often found in larger homes, use automatic dampers to allow the heat pump to keep different rooms at different temperatures. Some models of heat pumps are equipped with variable-speed or dual-speed motors on their indoor fans (blowers), outdoor fans, or both. The variable-speed controls for these fans attempt to keep the air moving at a comfortable velocity, minimizing cool drafts and maximizing electrical savings. It also minimizes the noise from the blower running at full speed. Some high-efficiency heat pumps are equipped with a desuperheater, which recovers waste hea...

An air-source heat pump can provide efficient heating and cooling for your home. When properly installed, an air-source heat pump can deliver up to three times more heat energy to a home than the electrical energy it consumes. This is possible because a heat pump transfers heat rather than converting it from a fuel like combustion heating systems. Air heat pumps have been used for many years in nearly all parts of the United States, except in areas that experienced extended periods of subfreezing temperatures. However, in recent years, air-source heat pump technology has advanced so that it now offers a legitimate space heating alternative in colder regions. For example, a study by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships found that when units designed specifically for colder regions were installed in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, the annual savings are around 3,000 kWh (or $459) when compared to electric resistance heaters, and 6,200 kWh (or $948) when compared to oil sy...

A heat pump's refrigeration system consists of a compressor and two copper or aluminum coils (one indoors and one outside), which have aluminum fins to aid heat transfer. In heating mode, liquid refrigerant in the outside coil removes heat from the air and evaporates into a gas. The indoor coil releases heat from the refrigerant as it condenses back into a liquid. A reversing valve, near the compressor, can change the direction of the refrigerant flow for cooling mode as well as for defrosting the outdoor coil in winter. The efficiency and performance of today's air-source heat pumps is a result of technical advances such as the following: Thermostatic expansion valves for more precise control of the refrigerant flow to the indoor coil Variable speed blowers, which are more efficient and can compensate for some of the adverse effects of restricted ducts, dirty filters, and dirty coils Improved coil design Improved electric motor and two-speed compressor designs Copper tubing, groo...