Protecting Against Frozen Pipes
During prolonged freezing weather, using a pellet stove or wood stove can have dangerous consequences. These stoves can trick thermostats into thinking your home is warmer than it is and cause your heating systems to stay inactive. To protect boiler pipes from cold weather, it is important not to use wood stoves or pellet stoves. Without adequate heat and water flow, boiler pipes located in corners and near exterior walls may freeze, leading to a range of costly issues that are best avoided.
Ecobee Aux Heat Runtime Alert
Ecobee's "Aux Heat Runtime Alert" sets the amount of time that the auxiliary heat source can run continuously before an alert is generated. Auxiliary heat is the backup or secondary heat that assists or takes over for your heat pump. In New Hampshire, auxiliary heat is typically a furnace, boiler, or electric strip heater. The default setting for this alert is 3 hours. If your auxiliary heat runs for 3 hours in a day, the alert will be generated. This is typically not cause for concern, in New Hampshire there are many days when the auxiliary heat source or backup heat should take over. The Aux Heat Runtime Alert can be disabled, or the time can be increased to remove or reduce the frequency of the alerts.
Preparing Your Home for Negative Temperatures
During extreme cold weather and snow events, it is important to prepare your home accordingly. Clearing heat pumps, exhaust vents and air intakes of any snow or ice buildup can help ensure safe system operation. Additionally, it pays to know the do's and don'ts when dealing with wintry weather. Familiarizing yourself with preventative maintenance tasks can end up saving you a lot of worry in the long run. Preparation is key during these conditions, so make sure you're ready for whatever comes your way!
Heat Pump Not Working? Check for Snow Buildup
Living in New Hampshire means dealing with cold, snowy winters. While heat pumps are designed to run all year round, they can be increasingly affected when there's snow on the ground. If your heat pump isn't performing properly, or you notice it's not generating heat, it may be because of snow buildup on top of the heat pump. Snow accumulation can slow heat pumps down drastically, so a surefire way to get yours running again is to check for any high-piled snow sitting atop your heat pump. Typically, heat pumps will clear themselves via defrost mode. In defrost mode, the outdoor unit will temporarily switch to air conditioning mode to thaw the snow. However, if your heat pump wasn't running during the snowstorm, then it won't automatically thaw. So make sure to take a few moments and check if any of that New Hampshire snow has built up on top of your heat pump!
What NOT to do to your heat pump!
- Do not use a shovel or any hard tools to clean your heat pump.
- Do not clean the sides of the unit, this could cause damage to the heat pump's condenser coil.
- Do not cover your heat pump, unless the covering is above the minimum discharge clearance. (Often 5 ft (1.52 m) or more, and open on all sides)
How to properly clean snow from your heat pump.
- Shut off your heat pump before cleaning it.
- Use a broom or snow brush to gently clear the top.
- Shovel any snow on the ground which may be covering the sides. Pay close attention not to hit the sides of the heat pump.
Heat Pump Tax Credits and Rebates
Are you tired of sky-high heating bills during the winter months? It may be time to consider switching to a heat pump. In today's environmentally conscious world, heat pumps are quickly becoming the preferred method of home heating. Not only are they more efficient and cost-effective compared to traditional heating systems, but they also have a lower impact on the environment. The recent passing of the Inflation Reduction Act has made heat pump installation even more accessible, thanks to some exciting new rebate and tax credit programs.
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