Heat Pump Types
A dual fuel heat pump pairs an electric heat pump with a gas furnace that takes over when it gets too cold outside. When the handoff goes wrong, you may get cold air, a furnace that never rests, or a heat pump that quits too early. Call and you are connected with an independent local contractor in the Parker area who works on both sides of the system.
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Dual Fuel Faults
A dual fuel system has two heat sources sharing one blower and one set of ducts. A thermostat or control board decides which one runs, based on outdoor temperature. Faults can sit on the heat pump side, the furnace side, or in the logic that picks between them, and that last one is easy to miss.
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Wrong changeover setting. If the switch point is set too high, the furnace does most of the work and gas use climbs. Set too low, the heat pump struggles on cold nights and the house feels cool.
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Failed outdoor sensor. Many setups rely on an outdoor temperature sensor. If it fails or reads wrong, the system may choose the wrong heat source or never switch at all.
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Furnace ignition faults. The furnace side still needs a working igniter, flame sensor and inducer fan. If it fails to light, the house has no backup once the heat pump hands off.
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Thermostat setup errors. Dual fuel needs a thermostat configured for it. A replaced or reset thermostat set up as a plain heat pump can mishandle backup heat. See thermostat problems.
Balance Point
The balance point is the outdoor temperature where the heat pump can no longer keep up with the heat the house is losing. Below it, the furnace needs to take over. Every house has its own balance point, based on insulation, window area, air leaks, and the size of the heat pump.
The changeover setting is the temperature the installer programs to make that switch. It is often set near the balance point, though some homeowners move it based on their electric and gas rates. In Parker, a cold snap can swing the outdoor temperature across that setting several times in one day.
If the system switched sources smoothly last winter and now does not, something changed: a setting, a sensor, or a part. Tell the contractor roughly what outdoor temperature the furnace seems to take over at, and whether anyone touched the thermostat settings recently.
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Safety First
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If you smell gas, leave the house now. From outside, call Xcel Energy's gas emergency line or 911, and call this line only after you are safe.
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Make sure it is in heat mode and its screen shows the system as expected. Do not change installer settings you are unsure about, since they control the changeover.
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Both heat sources share one blower and one filter. A clogged filter can trip the furnace high-limit safety and make the heat pump run hot, so replace it.
Service Areas
Many homes in and around Parker already had a gas furnace when the owners added a heat pump, which is how a lot of dual fuel systems start. Calls come in from Parker, Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Centennial and Greenwood Village.
FAQ
Leave the house right away and do not flip switches or use anything that could spark. Once you are outside, call Xcel Energy’s gas emergency line or 911. After the gas utility has checked it and says it is safe, call the line to reach a contractor about the furnace side.
The outdoor temperature may be below the changeover setting, which is normal. If the furnace also runs on mild days, the changeover may be set too high, the outdoor sensor may have failed, or the heat pump may have a fault that made the controls skip it.
In most dual fuel setups they should not, because furnace heat would pass over the heat pump coil and drive its pressures too high. A common exception is defrost, when the furnace may briefly run to keep cold air out of the vents. Your installer’s setup decides the details.
There is no single answer. It depends on your home, the heat pump, and your utility rates. Many systems are set somewhere near freezing, while others are set lower to use the heat pump more. A contractor can look at your equipment and explain the tradeoffs before changing anything.
A short burst of cooler air can happen during defrost, but many dual fuel systems run the furnace then to cover it. If you feel cold air for several minutes, or often, the defrost control or the furnace signal during defrost may not be working. See blowing cold air.
It is a common choice here because the heat pump handles mild days efficiently and the gas furnace covers deep cold snaps without leaning on electric strips. Whether it fits your home depends on your equipment and what you pay for each fuel. The heat pump vs furnace guide covers it.
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Note the outdoor temperature and which side seems to run. Your call reaches an independent local contractor in Parker who works on heat pumps and gas furnaces. Call (303) 647-3227.
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