[68BeaumontSD]

My heat pump is running constantly but the temperature in my house is dropping. I keep the thermostat set at 67 or 68. The temp started dropping yesterday once the outside temp got down into the low 20s. It got down to 10 or so last night. Right now it is 54 in my house. I don't know what the issue could be.
Thank you, James

[dhcarguy]

Heat pumps alone can NOT handle temps that low they need a backup system when temperatures get below 28* or so. Especially if your home is not well insulated.

[Stuart]

Some newer heat pumps will work at lower temps but it depends on what make and model you have. Does it have electric heat strips to provide backup heat? If so make sure they're working.

[68BeaumontSD]

Thanks for the responses. I know that a heat pump alone won't keep up when the outside temp is this low but I expected it to do better than this. The unit is a 4 ton Rheem. It does have working heat strips.

[SRR]

Originally Posted by 68BeaumontSD

Thanks for the responses. I know that a heat pump alone won't keep up when the outside temp is this low but I expected it to do better than this. The unit is a 4 ton Rheem. It does have working heat strips.

You may have to set the thermostat to "emergency heat" to get them to kick on.

[Half-Inch Stud]

We have propane to augment, and heck yea the heat pump shuts off awhile due to excellence. We crack a door open to assure oxygen.

A small 60W 1948 GE oscillating fan spreads the propane heat.

[66sprint6]

It's really tough without an auxillary heat source to raise the temperature. The walls are cold, the furniture, everything. Once the temperature is raised it's easier to maintan. I'd add the biggest electric heater with a fan that I could, without tripping the breaker. In a location away from the t-stat so as not to create a false reading of course. I'd also crank the t-stat to see what happens.

[turbo69bird]

Far as I’ve always been told 20 degrees they start to struggle. 10 they are useless. That’s what my HVAC guy always told me and I’m a builder. . But most everyone here has a secondary heating system so doesn’t matter so much . I’d get some small electric heaters to bump it up a little. We have a couple we run at our secondary house to get it up temp when we kick the heat back up it takes awhile to warm up they work good to help get heat quicker.,

[gary bennett]

I have two heat pumps, one for downstairs which works fine, another for up stairs which was new 6 mos ago. It runs constantly and the temp keeps dropping also until the sun comes up and it warms to set temp. I am going to call the installer on Monday and tell him it needs to be fixed.

[dhutton]

I just set mine to emergency heat and run the strip heaters when we get a hard cold snap. It’s like you are trying to air condition a room to 10 degrees…

Don

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by 68BeaumontSD

Thanks for the responses. I know that a heat pump alone won't keep up when the outside temp is this low but I expected it to do better than this. The unit is a 4 ton Rheem. It does have working heat strips.

How big is your house? When was it built?

Not trying to sound like a Beavis, but your expectations of a heat pump may be a little high.

My current house does NOT have a heat pump. It's 82 years old. I keep an oil filled radiator heater in 3 rooms, that I am able to keep coordined off by closing their doors. I leave the bathroom heater on, most of the winter, the other 2 are bedrooms, I use them as needed. I've done a lot to make my home more efficient. But still need more improvements...

I have to crank up the thermostat on my natural gas (installed 2005, with AC system) furnace to 77 or more to keep temp decent. I stay bundled up in home, by choice.

I hope you can find a simple in expensive solution, SOON!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

[mgarblik]

All of my friends with heat pumps have been whining and complaining during the big cold snap we are in now. Propane, electric, natural gas emergency boost still won't get it done in Ohio unless super well insulated and way oversized heat pump and booster. Two friends have a wood burning stove and heat pump. They are cozy so far. Sounds like you need more emergency heat to supplement.

[Tom Vaught]

The oil-filled heaters (multiple ones (3)) seem to do a nice job of adding enough heat to get you to a stable temperature when below 15 degrees.

I have Natural Gas in both of my houses Hot Water Baseboard Heat (4 zones in one house) and (Forced Air Heat in the second home). Both maintain 70 degrees at 5 degree outside temps and are very comfortable.

Never was a fan of heat pumps in cold climates and the once in 30 year sub-freezing
weather suggests just getting 3 oil filled radiator heaters in the 3 rooms you use the most. Then store them away for the next 20-30 years.

Tom V.

[dataway]

Heat pumps are wonderfully efficient devices in their operating range ... but they can't defy the laws of physics (no matter what that salesman says). If there is no heat to pump, they can't pump heat. When the heat strips come on they become very inefficient electric heaters.
I agree ... at 20 F they become sketchy, at 10F there is just no heat to pump.

[68BeaumontSD]

My house is over 100 years old and is 2300 or so sq ft. A few of the rooms are closed off and the vents closed.

The temp in here is going up some. It's now 59 degrees.

I agree with Tom, never liked the heat pumps. I live in the sticks. Natural gas is not available out here. When I moved here 23 years ago there was an oil furnace under the house. It was a pain in the butt so I got rid of it and had a heat pump installed. I replaced that one 5 or 6 years ago with the one that is here now.

[Lemans64]

Just put a Ductless in my place this summer, using more hydro that on e would think, but house is warm. Struggling at low temp though.
Hydro just keeps getting higher.

[Elarson]

Originally Posted by 68BeaumontSD

Thanks for the responses. I know that a heat pump alone won't keep up when the outside temp is this low but I expected it to do better than this. The unit is a 4 ton Rheem. It does have working heat strips.

The heat pump is an air conditioner running in reverse. It's "removing heat" from the outdoor air and "exhausting it" into the interior. As others have said, there's just not much heat to be extracted from the frigid outdoor air.

The electric backup heat for your house might need to be in the neighborhood of 15 kW. I say this based on having a 10 kW backup strip heater in my HVAC system (in case my oil heat doesn't work) and I don't think it's enough to fully heat the house in these temps, by itself.

Hope this helps....
Eric

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by 68BeaumontSD

Thanks for the responses. I know that a heat pump alone won't keep up when the outside temp is this low but I expected it to do better than this. The unit is a 4 ton Rheem. It does have working heat strips.

What CIR rating? The heat pump at our house is a CIR 14 With emergency heat strips for temps under 30. It can keep our house (2,600+ sq ft))at 68 degrees, but the emergency heat has to be manually selected.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by 68BeaumontSD

My house is over 100 years old and is 2300 or so sq ft. A few of the rooms are closed off and the vents closed.

The temp in here is going up some. It's now 59 degrees.

I agree with Tom, never liked the heat pumps. I live in the sticks. Natural gas is not available out here. When I moved here 23 years ago there was an oil furnace under the house. It was a pain in the butt so I got rid of it and had a heat pump installed. I replaced that one 5 or 6 years ago with the one that is here now.

Goodman produces a dual fuel heat pump that uses propane as a backup. When we have to replace our current unit( installed in 2009) that is what we’ll be installing.

[GtoFM]

Is the outdoor unit free of ice buildup? If not, the defrost cycle is not working properly and restricting airflow to capture what little heat is out there. Also, the unit could be low on refrigerant. How have you confirmed the backup strip heat is working? Does the amperage match the data plate? Call your service company to ck it.

As stated, HPs are very efficient when operating at design temperatures, below that, all bets are off! Yes, fuel oil can be a PITA, but boy, it is warm heat! I cut my teeth on fuel oil and propane furnaces and HPs. Make sure that old house is well insulated, with doors and windows sealed properly.

Merry Christmas and Good Luck!