Heat Pump running constantly?
Greetings all.
I recently moved into a new apartment in Phoenix, AZ that has a heat pump. This is my first time living with a heat pump, and I'm trying to figure out some things. First, I just received my first electric bill at this new place. It is triple what I normally pay for December in Phoenix. Obviously, its not cold here, but heat is needed throughout the nights as the temp does get into the 40s. I'm trying to track down the culprit of the triple electric bill, and my hunch is at this heat pump unit.
I'm pretty sure the unit runs consistently. I hear it turn on several times in an hour throughout the day, yet the heat (blower) is not actually running. Is this normal? Is the heat pump just warming up the coils in case heat is needed? This seems to be very inefficient if so.
Based on that last statement, it appears the heat pump unit outside runs independently of the blower unit inside? I'm assuming the blowing unit inside is the recipient of the heated coils from the outside unit to heat the air and then distribute it throughout the ducts. Is this true?
What is anyone's diagnosis of my electric bill and subsequent tie in the always hearing the heat pump on? Could the wiring from the heat pump to my thermostat be wrong? I completely turn off the thermostat, but I still hear the heat pump outside running right now.
Any help or guidance would be appreciated. I am pulling my hair out trying to figure this out. I'm trying to educate myself as much as possible before working with the complex maintenance guys because they seem to refuse to call in a heat pump repairman.