[jimmemac]

Originally Posted by biker1

A heatpump will periodically go into defrost mode to melt the ice buildup on the condenser coil as the temperature approaches and drops below freezing. When this happens, the heating strips will come on (because it is now running as an AC). Defrost mode lasts a few minutes.

I would love to know how you got your percentages?

[biker1]

Toymeister might have a "Sense" device (sense.com).

Originally Posted by jimmemac

I would love to know how you got your percentages?

[Toymeister]

Originally Posted by biker1

Toymeister might have a "Sense" device (sense.com).

For whole home energy detectors there are sense, neurio, and The Energy Detective (TED).

For me it paid off. That's how I discovered that the heat pump was not working and I only had heat strips. It gives you information that you can use to make decisions.

[Toymeister]

Originally Posted by PaulDenise

Per heating unit, this costs 4 times more electricity/ money than heat from the heat pump system.

Actually it is twice the KwH, not four times. It may provide more heat, I didn't measure that

[Bruiser1]

Originally Posted by advp007

Oops! I meant TECO bill.

It was the coldest winter in 13 years some experts have claimed.

It certainly was the coldest here in 6 for me. However that is a relative term...compare vs Minnesota if you want a shock in bill

[Bogie Shooter]

No surprise and common sense.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by Toymeister

Our SECO bill was 100.69 for 2000 Sq. Ft stucco designer. 867.6 KwH. Average temp was 72 degrees, Heat strips did come on for an average of two minutes or less. That is reflected in the detail below.

Details of last month's bill:

40.6% was the heat pump
11.8% was the water heater
10.5 was "always on' devices
7.8% was the dryer and heat strips combined
3.9% fridge
Less than 1% each:

Ice maker
Dishwasher
Washing machine
Fluorescent lights in laundry room and garage
Microwave
Stove
Oven
Iron
Toaster
Garbage disposal

20.5% was other devices not specifically identified

Last year's bill without the heat pump and heat strips only was 113.50 for 979 KWH. My take away is heat strips alone are expensive

Heat pumps are new to me. Can you describe what heat strips are and how they work?

[CWGUY]

Originally Posted by New Englander

Heat pumps are new to me. Can you describe what heat strips are and how they work?

Do you have gas heat? If you don't you have a heat pump.

[biker1]

Heat strips are electrical resistance strips in the air flow that supplement the heat generated from the heat pump and also offset the cooling when the heat pump goes into defrost mode. Essentially they are wires that current is passed through and they get hot.

Originally Posted by New Englander

Heat pumps are new to me. Can you describe what heat strips are and how they work?

[biker1]

Which one do you have?

Originally Posted by Toymeister

For whole home energy detectors there are sense, neurio, and The Energy Detective (TED).

For me it paid off. That's how I discovered that the heat pump was not working and I only had heat strips. It gives you information that you can use to make decisions.

[Toymeister]

Originally Posted by biker1

Which one do you have?

I have the sense energy monitor. It and Neurio use machine learning to identify energy users in the home. Neuro is slightly cheaper and located in and outside the electrical main box. It detects appliances down to 300 watts. Sense is completely in the breaker box and identifies down to 30 watts or so.

It is worth the cost if you use the information to save. One watt saved from the always on category saves a buck a year. It is pretty easy to save 75 or 100 watts without being inconvenienced in the slightest. Rinsing the dishes with cold vice not water before placing in the dishwasher saves nearly fifty a year. That is you are like my wife. Point is you can decide if certain changes are worth it to you.

[Toymeister]

New Englander,
I gather that you are also curious about heat pumps. That is a.c. run in reverse. Heat to the home, cold outside. Heat pumps drop in efficiency at low temperatures. That is why they don't work in northern climates.

Even here at some temps the heat strips supplement the heat pumps. Some thermostats automatically switch to heat strips of heat increases of more than two degrees are asked for by the thermostat.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by CWGUY

Do you have gas heat? If you don't you have a heat pump.

I have a heat pump but being from the frozen north and new to heat pumps, I had never heard of heat strips.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by jojo

We have gas heat and our TECO bill was about 2.5 times that of last January. We have our thermostat set on 76 and it ran quite a bit. Our electric bill was the same as the previous January.

Our TECO bill was also over 2-1/2 times higher than last January's.

Submitted a request for a review online through their site, but...still waiting for an answer.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

Our TECO bill was also over 2-1/2 times higher than last January's.

Submitted a request for a review online through their site, but...still waiting for an answer.

I'd say it was TWICE as cold this January than last year.

I almost never think that large companies are out to fleece me.

Why...? Because everyone is a watch dog. They would be caught.