Get to know your Cosy heat pump

If your property is achieving its target temperature, there’s nothing to worry about! Heat pumps use a smart feature called weather compensation to help your heat pump run more efficiently. Weather compensation automatically adjusts the flow temperature based on the outdoor temperature which can mean your radiators are cooler to touch than you may expect.

• Check your temperature sensor position.
  Try to leave this in a neutral position in the property and not a place where the temperature can change a lot e.g., next to an external door in the hall, next to the stove in the kitchen.
• Ensure you have a suitable heating schedule.
  You can find guidance on how to use the Cosy controls here, and recommendations for how to set a schedule on the Cosy Octopus tariff here.
  
  • Heat pumps are designed according to MCS guidance which suggests non-habitable rooms (hall, kitchen, landing, toilet) achieve 18°C and habitable rooms (living room, dining room & bathrooms) achieve 21-22°C. Please remember this when setting the target temperature as you may struggle to achieve a target temperature of 22°C in a hall.
• Ensure your weather compensation is set correctly.
  If you have changed your weather compensation settings since your commissioning, this could affect your heat pump being able to achieve your target temperature.
• Keep your TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves) on your radiators open.
  If they are closed, this will limit the flow of hot water to your radiators and mean less heat is dispersed in your property.
• Check the power supply.
  This could be due to loss of electricity supply.
  
  • Check both the indoor (cylinder) and outdoor (heat pump) units are switched on and check your app is connecting to the system.
  • Next, check your circuit breaker box for a tripped circuit. If there’s not an issue with either then contact us for advice.

• This is fairly normal due to heat pumps having a slightly higher pump speed than boilers. There might be air in your heating system meaning your heat pump is having to work harder than usual.

Action: open the auto air vents on the sides of your radiators and ensure all air is removed, this is also known as “bleeding your radiators” - How To Easily Bleed A Radiator

If you still feel there is excessive noise, contact us for help.

• Our design ensures you should always have enough hot water and we’ve created a handy guide explaining how cylinder work - Cylinder Guide
• If you need extra hot water (e.g., guests visiting), you can follow the tips below:
  • Make sure the hot water is up to your set temperature before everyone starts taking baths/showers
  • Extend the heating schedule: keep the hot water schedule on a bit longer so your heat pump continues generating hot water during the peak period (if you’re on Cosy Octopus).
    
    Find guidance on how to use your Cosy controls here.

• It’s normal for heat pumps to create water while operating but this should drain away easily from the drain pipe fitted to the back of your heat pump. If you’ve found a puddle of water, check that there’s no obvious debris or blockage of the drain pipe, and carefully clear away any you do find. If you can’t see anything, or you’ve spotted a leak, contact us - don’t try to fix it yourself.
  
• Occasionally in very cold weather the drainage pipe may freeze and you’ll find a build up of water - Don’t worry, the heat pump will continue to work and it will defrost when temperature increases.

• You’ll get used to the way your heat pump sounds when it’s working as it should. But sounds that are unfamiliar can tell you that your heat pump needs some attention.
• Loud gurgling, grinding or squealing sounds are likely telling you that your heat pump is struggling and has a problem that we’ll need to fix.
• In colder weather your heat pump will be working harder so it may seem louder than usual. This is especially true if it’s one of the first cold days of the year.
  
  • Action: There might be air in your heating system meaning your heat pump is having to work harder than usual. Open the auto air vents on the sides of your radiators and ensure all air is removed, this is also known as “bleeding your radiators” - How To Easily Bleed A Radiator
  • Action: If you feel there is excessive noise, give us a call.

It’s most likely defrosting. When it’s cold, your pump will automatically run a cycle to clear any built-up ice. It’s actually steam, not smoke, and a bit of melted ice. So it might look a bit dramatic, but it’s actually a sign everything’s working as it should be.

Ice on the back of your heat pump, especially during cold weather, is often a sign of a normal defrost cycle.

If you feel there is excessive icing or icing in warmer weather could indicate a problem like poor airflow or low refrigerant, contact us for help.

If the heat pump is running constantly your thermostat could be set too high.

• Action: Check the thermostat temperature and that they’re working correctly.
• Action: : Make sure you check your Cosy Pods to make sure the “Boost” function isn’t on. If it isn’t, take a look at your Cosy Hub in case there are any fault indications showing. If everything looks to be working with your thermostat and Cosy controllers, contact us for help.