A properly-installed and well-maintained furnace should be able to last many years before failing, usually around 15-20. However, accidents can happen, and even reliable furnaces can have a sudden breakdown. If this happens in the winter, it’s important to know what to do, because a house without heating can become dangerous.
The first thing you should do is call for a heating furnace repair service, and hope they can get there as soon as possible. Here are some tips for dealing with broken heat in the winter.
Keeping Warm When Your Heat Goes Out
1 – Block cold air flow
If your heat goes out, try to preserve what heat is in the house. Close the blinds, and if possible, drape blankets over the windows and doors to add insulation. If you have drafty spots, such as the bottoms of doors, push towels into the cracks to prevent cold air from getting in.
2 – Use alternative heaters
If you have space heaters, or a fireplace, you’ll be in decent shape. These can keep you warm in a pinch, at least warm enough that there’s no health danger. However, be aware that space heaters can use a lot of power. Be careful not to overload your outlets or circuit breaker. The last thing you want is the power going out alongside the furnace outage.
If you don’t have those, heating pads or heated blankets can also be valuable sources of warmth.
3 – Run hot appliances
This is a stopgap and wastes a lot of energy, appliances such as your oven or clothes washer can generate quite a bit of heat. Spending a day with your family huddled around the oven or stove isn’t much fun, but it’s better than being freezing cold.
One warning: do not do this with a gas-powered oven. This can lead to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide getting into your home. The same is true of any other gas-powered appliances, such as grills. However, it’s safe with electric or wood-fired appliances.
4 – Protect your pipes
People often forget about the possibility of pipes freezing when the heat goes out, but it’s a serious concern. If the pipes freeze, they could burst, and only add to your problems.
So while you wait for the heating furnace repair crew to arrive, open up all the cabinets and other doors leading to exposed pipes, such as under the sink. If you have a space space heater, keep it running near vulnerable pipes. Also, turn on all the faucets so that they’re dripping just a little. The flowing water is harder to freeze.
If your heat goes out in the winter, it can be dangerous, so don’t wait to call for furnace repair. Melton’s Heating & Air Conditioning provides excellent affordable furnace repair and replacement services across the Salem, OR area. Whenever you need help with your heating, just give us a call and we’ll be there ASAP.
Maximizing Heating and Cooling Efficiency with Mini-Split Heat Pumps
As energy efficiency becomes increasingly important in home design and renovation, mini-split heat pumps are emerging as a top solution. These systems offer both heating and cooling while minimizing energy consumption.
Here, our specialists at Melton’s Heating & Air Conditioning explain how mini-split heat pumps work and why they’re an excellent choice for homeowners looking to optimize their heating and cooling efficiency.
What Are Mini-Split Heat Pumps?
Mini-split heat pumps are air-source systems that can both heat and cool your home. They work by extracting heat from the outdoor air and moving it indoors during winter. In summer, they remove heat from your home to cool the indoor space. You get the advantage of year-round comfort with a single system.
Energy Efficiency: The Mini-Split Advantage
One of the key benefits of mini-split systems is their superior energy efficiency. When shopping for a mini-split heat pump, look for models with a Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) of 10.5 or higher and a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) in the mid to high 20s which indicates top-tier efficiency.
Variable Speed Technology
Mini-splits owe much of their efficiency to variable speed operation. They can adjust their output based on the current needs of your home, different from older, basic heating and cooling systems. This results in more stable indoor temperatures and better energy efficiency.
Sizing Matters: The Importance of Proper Installation
An undersized system may struggle to meet your heating and cooling needs, while an oversized system can lead to poor operation and increased wear and tear. Work with a qualified HVAC professional who uses industry-standard sizing protocols to ensure your system is perfectly matched to your home’s requirements.
Climate Considerations
Mini-split heat pumps can be effective in various climates, but it’s important to choose a system suited to your specific region. For cold climates, select a cold climate-rated heat pump that can operate efficiently at temperatures as low as -10 degrees Fahrenheit. For warm climates, high SEER mini-splits offer the best cooling efficiency and quieter operation compared to standard air conditioners.
Types of Mini-Split Systems
There are several types of mini-split systems that offer flexibility in how they distribute air throughout your home, including:
Ductless Systems
These systems are ideal for smaller homes or open floor plans as they use wall-mounted or ceiling-recessed indoor units.
Multi-Zone Systems
Multi-zone systems are perfect for larger homes as they allow multiple indoor units to be connected to a single outdoor unit.
Ducted Systems
Some mini-splits can be integrated with small duct systems for those who prefer a more traditional look.
Contact Melton’s Heating & Air Conditioning for Heating and Cooling Services!
Are you ready to upgrade your home’s heating and cooling system with an efficient mini-split heat pump? Melton’s Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help. Our team of experts can assess your home’s needs, recommend the perfect system, and ensure proper installation for maximum efficiency.
In the early days of heat pump technology, their reputation primarily rested on their heating capabilities, offering less reliable cooling during summer. However, contemporary heat pumps have evolved to become remarkably efficient. They consume less energy compared to older systems while delivering exceptional climate control.
Today, even basic models surpass the efficiency of systems from 15 years ago. Despite using five times less energy for cooling than heating, modern heat pumps typically provide cooling on par with traditional air conditioners. Yet, the question remains: are heat pumps equally proficient in heating and cooling? Let’s find out the answer!
Heat pumps consume significantly less energy when operating in cooling mode, approximately five times less. This efficiency arises from the fact that heat pumps extract warm air from the exterior when in heating mode. Since this mode is primarily utilized during cold weather, there’s typically a limited source of available heat for absorption.
Consequently, the heat pump must draw whatever air is accessible, heat it, and then distribute it throughout your home, resulting in increased energy consumption.
In most essential aspects, heat pumps operate identically to standard air conditioners. The primary distinction lies in the heat pump’s ability to reverse its process to deliver warmth. Essentially, it functions as a two-way air conditioner, so their performance is quite similar when comparing them directly. The heat pump simply offers additional capabilities!
Understanding Heat Pump Efficiency
Heat pumps demonstrate excellent efficiency in cooler climates, surpassing oil, gas, and electric HVAC systems threefold. However, there’s a condition. While top-tier heat pump replacements achieve 100% efficiency in sub-zero temperatures, some may struggle to perform optimally when the mercury dips below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat pumps utilize compressed refrigerants to generate heat, yielding four times more energy than on chilly days. Yet, in severe winter conditions, achieving the same results as traditional systems like furnaces requires additional design elements:
Enhanced compression cycles.
Refrigerants with low boiling points.
Superior ambient airflow rates.
Variable-speed compressors for efficiency adjustments in extreme weather.
Maintaining a consistent thermostat setting throughout the day can enhance winter energy efficiency, as maintaining warmth consumes less energy than generating it. Regular heat pump maintenance, scheduled biannually, is also vital for optimal performance.
Understanding Cooling Efficiency
The SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating provides comprehensive insights into a system’s heating and cooling capabilities, representing electricity usage and cooling output. Contemporary heat pumps can attain impressive SEER ratings, with some reaching up to 20.5, although the average falls within the 15 to 17 range.
Mini-split systems can achieve remarkable SEER ratings of 25, while the highest SEER rating for central air conditioners stands at 26, making them closely competitive. The finest heat pumps can deliver cooling nearly as effectively as top-tier central air conditioners.
SEER ratings also indicate energy consumption, and few systems can surpass the energy efficiency of the most efficient heat pumps. During cooling mode, they use only one-fifth of the energy they consume in heating mode, making them exceptionally efficient during the summer.
Tips for Maintaining Your Heat Pump
In order to maximize the efficiency of your heat pump for both heating and cooling, we provide a few simple tips to follow to help you maintain your appliance.
Heat Pump Repair
SEER ratings aren’t constant; they tend to change with time. While your system may initially deliver peak energy efficiency, wear and tear can gradually reduce effectiveness. If your system starts blowing cool air during the winter, it could indicate issues like refrigerant leaks, malfunctioning components, or faulty reversing valves. The best thing to do to maintain your heat pump is to get heat pump repair from an experienced technician.
Stay On Top of Cleaning
Develop a routine of inspecting your heat pump in winter for any indications of excessive ice or snow accumulation. Ensure that the heat pump’s top, sides, and bottom remain free from snow, ice, and leaves, especially following adverse weather conditions. Consistent monitoring helps prevent potential problems.
Be Cautious When Cleaning
To thaw snow and ice:
Apply warm water or use a gentle stream from a hose on the pump’s surface.
Avoid using sharp objects to chip or dislodge ice from the coils, as it may result in significant damage and potential injury.
If the unit ices up again after cleaning, seek a professional heat pump service.
Keep Away from Gutters
Steer clear of situating the outdoor unit directly beneath a leaking gutter. In colder months, the water dripping from the gutter can freeze upon contact with the unit’s surface. This ice buildup obstructs the airflow around the unit, potentially causing it to become completely frozen and non-functional.
Keep it Off the Ground
Elevate heat pumps by 4-8 inches above ground level. This elevation prevents snow and ice from accumulating on the coils and ensures proper drainage for the condensed moisture, similar to how an air conditioner operates.
Don’t Use ‘Auto’ Mode
The “auto” mode maintains a steady home temperature by switching between cooling and heating. If your backup heating system is active while your system is set to “auto,” you wouldn’t want the heat pump to inadvertently cool your home when it’s already warm indoors. Keep your system in “heat” mode during the season, and switch to “cool” only when temperatures rise.
Get in Touch with Our HVAC Technicians for Heating and Cooling Services!
Overall, your heat pump will exhibit substantially lower energy consumption during summer than in winter. Nevertheless, with consistent maintenance of a variable-speed heat pump installation, you can attain a SEER rating equivalent to or even higher than other HVAC systems. Over the past decade, heat pumps have demonstrated remarkable efficiency improvements, making them ideal for reducing replacement expenses.
If you’re considering a heat pump upgrade, get in touch with Melton’s Heating & Air Conditioning, where our experienced HVAC technicians possess years of expertise in servicing and installing heat pumps, ensuring your new system operates at peak efficiency.
