Comfort Tips

It's cold outside. Is your unit steaming or "smoking"?

Is your outdoor heat pump system steaming and making weird noises?

Good. Everything is working just fine, and there is no cause for alarm.

These things are NORMAL (especially on cold mornings):

· Steam or “smoke” rising from the unit

· Frost on the coils

· Outdoor fan stopped completely

· Loud noises that sound like air brakes

· Dripping water or puddles as the unit defrosts

These are CAUSES OF CONCERN:

· System does not reach or maintain temperature on thermostat setting

· Cold air blowing through your home when the heat is on

· Ice on the outdoor unit that builds up and does not melt

If you have more questions about your heat pump system, please read more about this on our site or call us.

Where does your energy go?

The following percentages are a good estimate for Tallahassee homes with electric heat pumps. As you can see, heating and cooling the house takes the prize as the biggest energy guzzler. The Barineau staff can help you size your system appropriately and get you into the most energy efficient unit in your budget.

Heating or cooling the home - 60%
Water heating - 15%
Refrigeration - 13%
Everything else (TV, lights, washer, dryer, cooking, etc.) - 12%

Winter Comfort Tips

Look for these problems that may increase your winter energy costs:

Thermostat setting is too high. 68 degrees is recommended. Set your thermostat carefully, and lower the temperature to 65 degrees at night if you have a heat pump, or 55-60 degrees overnight if you have gas, oil or electric strip heat. If you heat to 78 degrees, expect high bills.
Heat pump thermostat accidentally set to "Emergency Heat" all winter. A simple mistake that can double or triple your heating costs.
Clogged filters and restricted airflow. If you have a heat pump, anything that restricts airflow will reduce efficiency and increase your heating costs. Change your air filter monthly. If it's too dirty to see much light through it, it's time to clean or replace it.
Inadequate ceiling insulation. If your ceiling insulation is shallow, you'll lose heat rapidly from the house to your cold attic. Ceiling insulation target levels for Tallahassee: R30 to R38
(11-14" of blown white fiberglass; or 8-10" of blown cellulose insulation).
Heating system duct leaks. If your air distribution ducts have major leaks in the attic or crawlspace, your heating costs can double.
Heat pump low on refrigerant. You'll need a checkup by a qualified service technician to detect this problem. If low on refrigerant, your heat pump will run longer and operate backup heat strips more frequently; operating costs can double.
Heat pump outdoor condenser failed or locked out. If you have a heat pump, the big visible fan in the backyard unit should spin when you're heating. If it doesn't, and you heat all winter with only with the backup electric "strips", your heating cost can double or triple.

Summer Energy Tips

For big savings this summer, develop good energy saving habits. Savings can come from little changes in behavior and habits. Top on any list: Proper handling of the air conditioning thermostat. Here's a quick review of low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy and money.

Cool your house to 78 degrees or your highest comfortable temperature when you are there and set the thermostat to 80-83 degrees when you're away. In summer, higher thermostat settings cost less; lower settings cost more. Set your thermostat carefully! Research on Florida homes showed that summer AC costs increase 12% for each degree the thermostat is lowered below 80 degrees.
Close shades, drapes and blinds during the day (all directions).
Don't try to speed-cool at a very low temperature setting when you arrive home from work or school. Choose your normal evening setting, for example 78 degrees. Your AC cools just as fast when set at 78 degrees as it does at 68 degrees.
If you have ceiling fans, run the fans and the air conditioner at the same time but set the air conditioner 2 or 3 degrees higher. You'll feel just as cool, but your overall cooling cost will be 20-30% lower!
Use a microwave instead of the range/oven. A microwave doesn’t heat the kitchen.
Keep windows and doors closed while air conditioning.
Change the air conditioner's air filter monthly during heavy use. When it's clogged, airflow is restricted -- cooling costs rise, and your system may eventually suffer a compressor failure with a $2,000+ repair bill!
Bulk up your ceiling insulation. If you are a City of Tallahassee customer, contact Energy Services for ceiling insulation grants that pay 80% of the cost, up to $400 (or 100% of the cost up to $500 for income-qualified ). The highest recommended level for our region is "R38" (38 R-values) or about 15 inches depth of the newer kinds of blown white fiberglass insulation. A good protective layer of ceiling insulation prevents heat from moving inward in summer and holds heat inside in winter.
Seal air leaks around doors and windows. Use caulk and weather-stripping.
Have Barineau check for air duct leaks, or disconnected ducts. Duct leaks in the attic or under the house can double your cooling cost.
Close your fireplace damper!
Always set the AC thermostat FAN selection to "AUTO", never to "ON". This is important: On AUTO, humidity is kept lower, costs are much lower and comfort is higher.
Keep up the habit of turning off lights as you leave a room, especially in summer. Lights add a lot of heat to the room. Better yet, change out to CFL's that use a lot less energy and produce less heat.
Keep all air conditioning supply air registers open. Don't close off rooms or registers. That doesn't save money, and it may lead to costly problems.

Contact Barineau to discover the latest technology in programmable thermostats.