Does the A/C compressor come on when providing heat with a heat pump heating system?

Question

From another post I have determined I have a heat pump heating system (I have Em. Heat setting for forced electric heat). If I put on Em. Heat or turn the thermostat much higher than the current temperature, it works fine because it is being heated electrically . Once I put it down to a reasonable temperature, it recirculates room temp air 95% of the time. Two times, however, the A/C compressor kicked on and the heat stayed working when I turned it down below a temperature which forced the electric heat. If I remember my thermodynamics correctly, the heat pump cycle has a compressor in it. Am I correct that for the heat pump to actually provide heat, the compressor has to be working?

When it was summer, the compressor worked fine most of the time, but there sometimes it would not kick on as it should. It almost never kicks on in heat mode.

I rent so I would like to be as specific with my landlord about my problem as possible. Should I tell her this is the problem with my heat?

Answer 1

Whether you can explain it to the landlord or not is a different question. If it is not maintaining temperature when it should be heating, then that is the problem to report as more detail is likely to confuse. For example, if you set to 70 and the temp drops to 65, then report that.
The reason that a heat pump is efficient for heating is that the compressor is used to move heat from outside air, making it cooler, to inside air, making it warmer. Yes, the compressor has to be working to do this. Modern heat pumps are usually two stage with a quieter running mode for temps near room temp and a noiser high output mode for faster cooling or heating. Because there is too little heat in really cold air to raise the temp quickly, they have electric coils which use a lot more power than the compressor for the same Btu's moved.

Answer 2

A heat pump uses a reverse cycle colling system. If you were to stand by the outside unit in the summer you would feel the heat coming off of the condenser.. If you turn it to heat the outside unit puts out cool air. And yes the compressor is supposed to run. If it also has an electric heating element if you lower the temperature to shut it off it will run for several minutes to cool down the unit . It is supposed to do this. also the compressor is supposed to be off for at least 2 minutes before starting it again. This allows the the head pressure to stabilize.

Answer 3

A heat pump is an air conditioner that is "reversible".
When an air conditioner runs in the summer time, it pumps the heat out of the inside of a cooler house and into the hotter outside air, thus cooling the house.
When a heat pump is turned to the heating mode, it reverses the flow, and pups the heat out of a cooler outside and into a warmer inside of the house, thus heating the house.
Usually electric heat is added as a supplemental heat in case of a malfunction, quick response time needed, or very cold outside conditions.
The unit is made to run most of the time, so your estimate of 95% run time is possibly accurate and normal.
I believe you would be best to talk to your landlord about a possible problem, and then talk to the service tech. of their choice before a service call is ordered. They may have you watch for a certain behavior which could save additional service calls and allow them to be more prepared when they do come.
Hope this helps!

Answer 4

The compressor must operate for a heat pump to generate heat. In auxillary heat, the system can be set to generate heat from an additional source, or from electric coils to supplement the heat pump. In emergency heat, most units turn off the compressor completely, and generate heat from the heat coils , or a burner or furnace. The compressor forces freon in the opposite direction to create heat than it does to create cooling.

Answer 5

Yes the compressor runs in heat mode. It reverses the freon flow. The electric heat is back up heat supplemental to the heat pump cycle.

Answer 6

Yes it will come on it is the same as your A/C but in reverse

Answer 7

Yes!