Your heat pump will save you a lot of money on cooling and heating costs compared to a conventional air conditioning and heating system, but your savings will be bigger and more consistent if you pay attention to proper heat pump maintenance. A poorly maintained heat pump can lose as much as a quarter of its efficiency, so good maintenance will easily pay for itself by reducing your utility bills.
There are a number of things you can do yourself to keep your system operating at its highest efficiency, while other tasks should be saved for an annual service call from your HVAC specialist.
Here are a few easy do-it-yourself items that will help keep your heat pump running efficiently:
- Make sure supply and return registers are not blocked anywhere in your home. Keep the register fins clean and straight. Proper airflow balance is crucial to efficient heat pump operation, so make sure air can move easily to and from every room in your house.
- Change or clean filters at least twice a year. Do this more often if you live on one of the many dusty gravel or dirt roads in our area.
- Keep bushes and grass trimmed away from the outdoor unit and make sure leaves and other debris are cleared away.
- Clean the condensate drip pan and evaporator coil every couple of years and keep the blower fan blades clean.
During your annual service check, make sure your HVAC technician performs each of these heat pump maintenance steps:
- Inspect entire system for accumulated dirt or other obstructions.
- Identify and repair leaking ducts, and measure and adjust airflow.
- Measure the refrigerant charge and check for leaks.
- Clean and tighten electrical connections, lubricate motors, and inspect belts and other parts for wear.
- Check the thermostat operation to make sure the cooling and heating modes are active or inactive at the appropriate settings.
Please contact us at James Lane with any questions you may have about heat pump maintenance. We have served customers throughout Wichita Falls, Vernon and the surrounding area since 1957. We know the best ways to keep your home comfortable and efficient in our challenging North Texas climate.
