http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/a...
indicates in these words:
'To choose an air-source electric heat pump, look for the ENERGY STAR? label. To qualify for the label, units must have SEERs of 12 or greater and HSPFs of 7 or greater. For units with comparable HSPF ratings, check their steady-state rating at -8.3 degrees C, the low temperature setting.'
that there is a rating point at -8.3C, which is 15 degrees F below freezing, which is 17 F.
This suggests that your heat pump, if reasonably new, certainly /should/ be working at 17 F.
What is the make (and model) of your heat pump? Does the manufacturer have a website?
One of the disadvantages of heat pumps is that in severely cold conditions (which 1F certainly is) they can become very expensive because AUX heat is pure electric resistance heating. Heat pumps are good for a reasonable range of temperatures as discussed in other answers, but the risks of an expensive period of use have been known for decades.
Usually below 35 degrees F the electric heater comes on.
For all intents and purposes, there's no heat to pump when the air temperature falls below 36°F (~2°C).
Below 32F or 0C , heat pump is no more working to generate heat ( waste electricity for nothing ).
Read your owners manual. Every system has different settings depending on the specifications of the system.
Right now it is below 17F and my outdoor heat pump unit is not running.
Is this normal? I'm getting conflicting advice. This is a pretty new unit.
Some say the outdoor unit should always keep running regardless of how cold it gets.
Other say there's a point where trying to run the outdoor heat pump makes no sense, usually somewhere between 20F to 17F.
So...should I be concerned about the outdoor unit not running right now?
