heat pump experts

[nzdatman]

Anyone here know about heap pumps?
Just had a 5 hundy dollar power bill and got a bit of a shock! I know it's cold but crikey.
Do heat pumps need any kind of maintenance to keep the efficiency up there? Going to try dig out the user's manual but until then just thought I'd see if anyone out there could give any hints? Do you need to clean the fins on the radiators etc? Have just cleaned the air filter thing. Any help much appreciated, cheers.

[datsunboy]

Yeah, you need to clean the filter on the indoor unit at least once a month just with a vacuum is fine.
Clean the fins on the outdoor unit once a year with a hose, and preferably some sort of soap.

$500 sounds pretty high tho, have you had it cranking at 30 the whole month?
Anything else may be sucking your power? Maybe a hot water cylinder leaking out the roof vent? (Low pressure cylinders only)

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[Bartman]

Has it been working okay?
I saw some guys on (I think it was) Fair go, who had mad power bills, and their heat pump was up to fuck all. Turned out it had been installed by a chump, and all the gas leaked away. Nek Minnit the pump ran flat out all the time, made no heat, and consumed obscene amounts of KW/h's.

[torqued]

Our pump runs all day and our powerbill is about the $200 mark.

[brocky41]

Yea same here i just run it on 16 till get home then bang up to 21 till bout 9:30

[Dattodevil]

it will also work better of you put a little lean to over the top of it, to keep off the rain and snow. But $500 doesn't sound right.

[nzdatman]

I'm beginning to think they read the meter wrong. April was $300, may was $200 and now June $500. If you average the last two months it would be $350 per month which would be a bit more like it (still a shit load of money for power though)
We have been turning the heat pump down to 18 overnight, normally run at 22-23 when we are in the room. We have a smaller one in our bedroom that runs at 18-20 pretty much all the time. Also have an oil heater in the boys room which probably chews quite a few kwh.
Did a bit of reading last night and they all seem to say turn it off when you're not in the room. Have set the timer now so it can turn off at night and on half hour before we get up. Hopefully that will make a difference.
I want to drill a hole for a down hole geothermal heat exchanger eventually, fricken expensive to put in but once it's all up and running costs basically nothing to run. A few more big power bills this winter and it will look better and better to justify doing it. Also a cool project!
Thanks for the replies, will definitely follow up on those suggestions, cheers.

[Datto_610]

What power company are you with?? I changed to Genesis late last year and have saved heaps on my power bill.

[nzdatman]

We changed to energy online about six months ago as they were supposed to be cheaper. Who knows.

[datsunboy]

powershop is the best

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