#1 Compatibility – The very first thing to keep in mind is not all thermostat models are compatible with a heat pump system. There are thermostat models that do not support HVAC systems with a heat pump. You’ve to read the specifications very clearly before you order your thermostat. Note: Read our guide on thermostat compatibility for popular thermostat models.   #2 Wiring – The wiring required for a heat pump is different from other HVAC systems like a central furnace system. So the thermostat you’re considering should support the wiring required for a heat pump. You’ve to check with the manufacturer’s specifications or check the model number online to see if it supports a heat pump system. #3 Heat Pumps with Aux/Emergency Heating – If your heat pump has an aux/emergency heat option, then you’ve to choose a thermostat model that supports the same. Keep in mind there are thermostat models that support a heat pump but are not compati...

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...

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'...

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...

The different types of air source heat pumps are described below. Ductless vs. Ducted vs. Short-Run Ducted Ductless applications require minimal construction as only a three-inch hole through the wall is required to connect the outdoor condenser and the indoor heads. Ductless systems are often installed in additions. Ducted systems simply use ductwork. If your home already has a ventilation system or the home will be a new construction, you might consider this system. Short-run ducted is traditional large ductwork that only runs through a small section of the house.  Short-run ducted is often complemented by other ductless units for the remainder of the house. Split vs. Packaged Most heat pumps are split-systems—that is, they have one coil inside and one outside. Supply and return ducts connect to the indoor central fan. Packaged systems usually have both coils and the fan outdoors. Heated or cooled air is delivered to the interior from ductwork that passes through a wall or...

A thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) is a self-regulating valve fitted to hot water heating system radiator, to control the temperature of a room by changing the flow of hot water to the radiator. The classic thermostatic radiator valve contains a plug, typically made of wax (forming a wax motor), which expands or contracts with the surrounding temperature. This plug is connected to a pin which in turn is connected to a valve. The valve gradually closes as the temperature of the surrounding area increases, limiting the amount of hot water entering the radiator. This allows a maximum temperature to be set for each room. As the valve works by sensing the temperature of the air surrounding it, it is important to ensure that it is not covered by material (such as curtains). If the controller is removed from the valve the valve turns on and the radiator will always be hot. TRVs should not be installed in the same room where the boiler thermostat is installed. The replacement of a manual heat...

The thermostatic radiator valve head is a quintessential piece of radiator technology. It is one of the many possible heating controls for modulating air temp across rooms. And due to its great value and easy function, it’s one of the most popular. You will find or fit your TRV on the side of your radiator, and correct set-up enables you to maximise a single boiler and enjoy different heats across different rooms. The TRV is a valve that self-regulates, meaning it adjusts the flow of water into your radiator depending on the setting. The thermostatic valve head goes on top of the valve body. And as the room temperature changes, the valve head expands, adjusting a pin in the valve body so that it opens or closes. Expansion as the room heats blocks the valve body to receive less hot water into the radiator. Contraction as the room cools opens the valve body to receive more hot water into the radiator. TRVs come in two main designs. They can be either wax or liquid models, with liqu...

While studying for his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Columbia University six or seven years ago, Marshall Cox regulated his room’s temperature in winter the way most New Yorkers with steam radiators do. He opened a window.   But then his twin brother, Jeremy, moved to New York to dance in “Come Fly Away” on Broadway. His brother complained “incessantly,” Mr. Cox said, that “it was boiling, or freezing, many times both over the course of a night.” It drove Marshall Cox to invent the Cozy, a radiator cover that can contain the warmth in an overheated room and shift it to an underheated room. The Cozy, which Mr. Cox has described as a “glorified oven mitt” and which is being sold on a limited basis, went on to win a $220,000 M.I.T. Clean Energy Prize in 2012.   The Cozy’s victory is understandable. It addresses a problem that has afflicted New Yorkers since the early 1900s, when oversize radiators were necessitated...

The following work aims at demonstrating how a smart thermostatic (radiator) valve network can be used to reduce heating costs by controlling the heat generator (heat-pump, gas boiler, ...) in a more efficient way. Currently, a large proportion of heat generators is controlled by the means of a heating curve, or a similar rule-based logic that mostly rely on outdoor temperature or single point indoor temperature measurements. These simple control laws are in general commissioned to minimize the number of complaints of “cold users”. This results in high forward temperatures, that are energetically non-optimal as they create increased losses in the piping network and also have a negative impact on the heat generator efficiency.  In the proposed data driven approach, a controller was developed to ensure that the radiators receive fluid with the lowest temperature possible, while satisfying the heating needs. To achieve this goal, smart thermostatic valves are used to moni...

Z-Wave radiator thermostats allow you to wirelessly control individual radiators. Each radiator can have it's temperature set and changed throughout the day - manually via a smartphone or based on timed schedules. The Z-Wave radiator valves allow you to have different parts of the house at different temperatures through the day, as you need it. You no longer need to heat empty rooms.   The Z-Wave radiator thermostats are fitted within minutes, they simply replace the existing TRV, no need to drain the system. Once installed they operate just like other Z-Wave devices, such as Z-Wave thermostats, as part of your Z-Wave smart home automation system allowing you to control them wirelessly from wherever you are. Or, you can use other features of the Z-Wave system to control them automatically based on time of day, or from other devices such as Z-Wave Sensors. This enables you bring smart central heating control to your home using your Z-Wave system.   If you've got questions abou...

Thermostatic radiator valve A thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) is a self-regulating valve fitted to hot water heating system radiator, to control the temperature of a room by changing the flow of hot water to the radiator.   Conventional wax motor TRVa The classic thermostatic radiator valve contains a plug, typically made of wax (forming a wax motor), which expands or contracts with the surrounding temperature. This plug is connected to a pin which in turn is connected to a valve. The valve gradually closes as the temperature of the surrounding area increases, limiting the amount of hot water entering the radiator. This allows a maximum temperature to be set for each room.   As the valve works by sensing the temperature of the air surrounding it, it is important to ensure that it is not covered by material (such as curtains). If the controller is removed from the valve, the valve turns on and the radiator will always be hot.   Interaction with room thermostats Thermost...