HVAC Heat Pump question

[ablib]

I have 2 questions for you experts.

What is emergency heat? Where does the heat come from?


My air handler unit in the attic is about 6 months old in a new house. A couple of weeks ago the unit started humming loudly when it kicks on. In the house it's loud in the attic it's REALLY loud.


The tech that came out to service (under warranty) said that the noise is normal on new units, then left.

I say it's not normal. What say you all?

[doctordave68]

all heatpumps have some sort of auxillary heat , usually electric strips. the emerg. heat switch locks out your efficient heat pump and allows only the inefficient aux. heat to operate. If your aux. ht. is something other than elect. it may not be inefficient to run on emerg. ht.
DoctorDave

[quahog]

A couple of weeks ago the unit started humming loudly when it kicks on.

I cant resist. What song was it humming?

Seeriasly I think you might have problem with you electric heat contactor, dirty contacts or failing coil. Loud hum not normal, light hum normal

[totaleclipse]

all heatpumps have some sort of auxillary heat , usually electric strips. the emerg. heat switch locks out your efficient heat pump and allows only the inefficient aux. heat to operate. If your aux. ht. is something other than elect. it may not be inefficient to run on emerg. ht.
DoctorDave

??:confused: ??
The em. heat, if electric, heats by applying electricity to a set of heat strips, which glow red hot, and the air passing over is heated. They are put there to help the heat pump out when it is trying to make up a big differance in temp quickly, when it is really cold out, or when the HP goes into defrost. I know it can be done, but I have never seen an air handler/t-stat set to turn the HP off when the stat or def. board calls for the em heat to come on, unless you have it set to lock out the heat pump below a set outdoor temp.

As for the hum, if it is a concern to you, and from what you said, it should be, I would have a different tech come out and look at it. Every unit with a transformer hums, most just do it so quitely that you cant hear it. However, I am not saying that this is where your mystry noise is coming from.

[eberrong]

Actually emergency heat and aux heat are 2 different things. Aux heat has been described above, your thermostat will turn on electric heat strips when your heat pump is unable to maintain the temperature set point you have selected. Emergency heat is only ever used if your heat pump fails and you need heat immediately. You can manually select emergency heat and the same heat strips will turn on with the blower (but not the heat pump) to give you some very expensive "emergency" heat.

[icyflame]

Your emergency heat can be anything. You have a heatpump...connected to...An airhandler with electric heat strips or a gas furnace, maybe a fuel oil furnace or is it boiler...no matter what it is, it all works the same way. Whenever the heatpump can't deliver the required heat, the backup kicks in and save the moment.

The system's normal sound is the sound when it was first started up after a proper install and startup. Sometimes a contactor or a fan relay will start chattering.

Call the company and insist on a differnt tech or have a senior tech comeout with him/her.

[ablib]

I'm glad you all agree that there is something wrong with the hum. It happens also when only the fan is on, no heat, no A/C just the fan. Which makes me think it's the blower motor.

These people always do this when the equipment is under warranty.

How do I tell them that this is NOT normal that I want it fixed. The last time I tried that with this company they scoffed at me. And still didn't fix it.

[icyflame]

I'm glad you all agree that there is something wrong with the hum. It happens also when only the fan is on, no heat, no A/C just the fan. Which makes me think it's the blower motor.

These people always do this when the equipment is under warranty.

How do I tell them that this is NOT normal that I want it fixed. The last time I tried that with this company they scoffed at me. And still didn't fix it.

Call the local supplier or manufacture rep. Write a letter to the editor of your local newpaper and send them a copy, ask your local TV station for help etc.
Have a friend or family member call the installing company saying how they were sold on the equipment, but since they can't fix it they are no longer interested. Do whatever you must do except don't take NO for an answer!

[quahog]

Call the local supplier or manufacture rep. Write a letter to the editor of your local newpaper and send them a copy, ask your local TV station for help etc.
Have a friend or family member call the installing company saying how they were sold on the equipment, but since they can't fix it they are no longer interested. Do whatever you must do except don't take NO for an answer!

Git you a bag of dog poop and put it on there door step and...

Keep on calling and ask for a different tech. At the leest if you keep callin they will probly do something to stop you frum bugging them.