I see it as one of those situations where it is possible that you are saving a little money and just as possible that it is costing you a little extra money, but either way it's magnitudes in difference to have to replace the heat pump. Also, just because the intake vents aren't covered, doesn't mean the output is effected. It would be sort of like covering up 1/3 of the intake on a hair dryer, it's not going to move as much air on the exhuast end while at the same time straining the components.

I'm no HVAC expert but that is just my reasoning on the matter. I think I remember reading somewhere about how it's not really worth it to close rooms off (assuming the proper heat pump is installed for the proper load). I'll see if I can't dig it up.

[Edited on December 5, 2008 at 1:31 PM. Reason : ]

[Edited on December 5, 2008 at 1:42 PM. Reason : misread]

12/5/2008 1:29:20 PM

okay, so after this thread, i went ahead and opened up the vents in all of my rooms...then, today, i shut the heat off completely and left the water heater on, to determine where the power draw is coming from...readings:

7am: 37419
6pm: 37422

so i don't think it's a bad water heater (i mean, shouldn't it be running all day, to keep the water warm?)...if it were a bad heater (or a bad element inside), then i assume i'd use more than 3 kWh over 11 hours, don't you think?

tomorrow, i was thinking of turning off the water heater and the heat both, to see what the readings are like...i don't want it to be the HVAC

12/8/2008 8:07:11 PM

^ Screw turning stuff off. Get a multi-meter and verify that everything is functioning. Don't guess, know.

12/8/2008 9:00:03 PM

i have a multimeter (i need to find it)...but i don't know, exactly, what/where to hook it up to get a reading on the HVAC and/or water heater (both are easily accessible, though)

while i agree with being as precise as possible, with actual evidence...is there any reason my methods wouldn't give valid results?

[Edited on December 8, 2008 at 9:35 PM. Reason : .]

12/8/2008 9:34:13 PM

^Unless you know what the power draw should be for the devices you're isolating, you're just gathering data you can't interpret.

Verify that your hot water heater elements are working. Verify that your heat pump isn't using it's emergency heat kit. While your heat is running, the large copper line running into the outside unit should be warm assuming that you have a split system. Goggle can quickly tell you step-by-step the troubleshooting procedure for these devices.

12/8/2008 11:17:44 PM