Heat Pump Maintenance Tips

Heat pumps are excellent methods of heating and air conditioning. They are less expensive to run and are safer than other options. If you rely on your heat pump for your heating and cooling needs, then it’s important that you are properly taking care of it. Just like any other HVAC system, heat pumps require both professional maintenance and homeowner upkeep. 

When you take care of your heat pump, you reap many benefits. Maintenance ensures that your system lasts for a long time and maintains efficiency. Continue reading to learn all about how heat pumps work, important maintenance tasks and upkeep tips.

If you are ready to schedule heat pump service in Highland Village, contact Strittmatter Plumbing, Heating and AC at 940-246-2075. 

How Heat Pumps Work

While heat pumps may have sound like they are only helpful for heating your home, they can also provide cool air. The system utilizes refrigerant and electricity to transfer heat from one place to another. Heat pumps have both an indoor and outdoor unit. The indoor unit is typically installed on the wall in one of the rooms in a home. Both units require maintenance to keep them efficiently working.

To provide hot air, the heat pump takes air from outside and passes it over the refrigerant. The refrigerant is compressed so that it absorbs the cold and leaves only hot air. This hot air is then transferred to inside your home.

To provide cool air, the heat pump performs the same essential tasks only in reverse. The refrigerant absorbs heat, leaving only the cool air. This cool air is then pumped inside of your home. 

Heat pumps are most common in areas with mild temperature as they don’t always provide intense heating and cooling that some prefer. 

Maintenance Tasks for Your Heat Pump

In order to properly take care of your heat pump, there are a few maintenance tasks that you should complete throughout the year. All of these are easy to complete and should not take long. Take a look at four important heat pump maintenance tasks to make time for.

1. Change Your Air Filter

One of the most important tasks to complete when it comes to heat pump maintenance is changing the air filter. Even though it may be easy to forget, you should change your air filters at least once a month. This will keep your system in great shape.

When you don’t change your filter often enough, it can get clogged with dirt, dust and other debris. This causes your system to become less efficient and work harder to produce hot and cool air. When systems have to work harder they can incur damages and even completely fail. Be sure to ask for help if you cannot safely reach the air filter cartridge.

2. Visual Inspection

The easiest thing that you can do for your heat pump is to complete a visual inspection every once in a while. This is especially important if you have not inspected it since it was installed. It’s common for heat pumps to be installed incorrectly. This can cause inefficiency and other problems.

First, check to make sure that the outdoor unit is four to six inches off the ground. Bringing the system up from the ground allows for drainage and clearance. Next, make sure that there are no leaks directly above your heat pump. Last, check for any visual damage such as rust or dents.

3. Check for Proper Clearance

When you go out to inspect your heat pump, you need to make sure that the system has proper clearance. This means that you need to remove any debris, cut back landscaping and move objects that are within two feet of the outdoor unit.

Your indoor unit should also have two feet of clearance. Because most heat pump indoor units are installed on the wall, this means that there should not be any furniture or decor within two feet. Ensuring proper clearance keeps you safe from potential fire hazards and gives your system space to transfer hot and cool air.

4. Clean the Unit

Just like any HVAC system, your heat pump should be kept clean. For your indoor unit you should be sure to dust it and wipe it down with a damp rag every once in a while. Your outdoor unit, on the other hand, needs slightly more care.

To clean your outdoor unit, wash it down with a hose to make sure that all dirt is removed. Be sure that your hose is not on a jet setting, but a gentle setting. If your outdoor unit is washed with high pressure water it can cause the fins on the grill to bend.

Heat Pump Upkeep Tips

There are many more things that you can do for your heat pump to keep it in great shape. Take a look:

• Don’t adjust your temperature too often. This can cause a spike in your energy bill.
• Do your best not to set the temperature lower than 65º during the summer.
• If it snows in your area, check your outdoor unit often to make sure it does not freeze over or accumulate snow on the top.
• If your outdoor unit does freeze over, turn the unit off and pour warm or cold water over it until it melts. Do not use hot or boiling water or an ice pick.
• Be sure that your unit is between 4 and 8 inches off the ground.
• Flush the condensate pan and drain before you turn the air conditioning back on in the spring or summer.

Following these tips will help to ensure the continued efficiency and function of your heat pump.

Trustworthy Residential Hvac Service in Highland Village, TX

For high quality heat pump furnace service in Highland Village, TX, you need Strittmatter Plumbing, Heating and AC. Our team is dedicated to providing high quality workmanship and excellent customer service. We complete maintenance, repairs, replacements and installations for all kinds of systems. No matter what kind of issue you may be facing with your HVAC and plumbing system, we have got your back.

To schedule an appointment with one of our knowledgeable and highly trained technicians, give us a call at 940-246-2075 or email us online.