10 Things You Should Be Doing for Your Heat Pump
Proper heat pump maintenance is the key to its efficiency. According to the US Department of Energy (Energy.gov), the difference in efficiency between a well maintained heat pump and a poorly maintained one can be as much as 25%. They recommend that you have a trained service tech inspect and service your whole system annually. But there are still a lot of things you can/should do yourself, if you’re able.
So what should you be doing to help keep your unit in tip-top shape? Here is our list of the top 10 things to help guarantee your central heat and air unit are running at top efficiency.
- Clean or change filters once a month or as needed
- Maintain your system according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Dirty filters, coils, and fans reduce airflow through the system. Reduced airflow decreases system performance and can damage your system’s compressor.
- Clean outdoor coils whenever they appear dirty
- Turn off power to the fan and clean it, periodically
- Remove vegetation and clutter from around the outdoor unit.
- Clean the supply and return registers in your home, and straighten their fins if bent.
- Do not set back the heat pump’s thermostat if it causes the backup heating to come on — backup heating systems are usually more expensive to operate.
- Operate the system on the “auto” fan setting on the thermostat. Unless you have a high-efficiency variable-speed or displacement fan, continuous operation will lead to premature failure.
- Consider installing (or have a professional install) a programmable thermostat with multistage functions suitable for a heat pump
Got it? If so, you’re on the right path to having a unit that will keep your home comfortable for years to come. So what’s the next step? Annual inspections & service by a certified heat & air tech is the best way to guarantee you’re getting optimal performance and aren’t hit by an unexpected failure that could be costly.
Click Here to find out more about our Annual Heat Pump Service Plan
Read More about heat pump maintenance and self-servicing at https://energy.gov/energysaver/operating-and-maintaining-your-heat-pump
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[…] vegetation and buildup should be at the top of this list. For the full list, see this article of Things You Should Do to Keep Your Heat Pump in Top Shape. Other things, however, should be overseen by a trained & knowledgeable […]
[…] Not only is it a possible health issue, but it’s hurting the efficiency of your unit. Dust buildup can seriously restrict the flow of air, causing the unit to have to work harder. This will cause you to have increased utility bills, and a stressed unit that is more likely to fail. Also, the lifetime of the unit will be significantly impacted, requiring replacement before it should. If your curious about regular maintenance, read this article on how to get the most out of your heat & air unit. […]