Although a heat pump is a complex piece of equipment, homeowners can do some of the maintenance themselves, which will increase its lifespan and lower operating expenses. Running a heat pump that needs servicing wears the parts more quickly and drives up your electric bill. You can use these tips to get the most from this appliance:
- Clean the filter for the air handler. The filter traps airborne particles that could enter the blower and wear the parts faster. Dirty filters also slow the airflow, which may cause several problems, including straining the outdoor compressor and freezing over the evaporator coil. Given the high humidity in our region, a dirty evaporator coil can develop frost, which can ultimately burn out the compressor from constant operation. If you have disposable filters in your air handler, replace them regularly. Make a note to check the filters monthly during the summer to run your system at top efficiency.
- Inspect the outdoor compressor. If you see any vegetation around the compressor, clear it away. The compressor needs to exhaust the heat from your home, and anything that slows this process down drives up your electric bill.
- Hose the coils off with moderate to light spray from the hose. This dislodges any dust or dried grass clippings that interfere with the cooling process.
- Note where your dryer vents outdoors. If it's close to the heat pump, it's easy for the lint from the dryer to land on your compressor's fins. Dryer vent pipes are easy to move or extend away from the compressor.
- Remove anything that sits on the compressor and tell your children, and other household members never to use the compressor to hold hoses, toys or potted plants.
Annual maintenance from an HVAC contractor will bring your system back to the factory settings as closely as possible. If you haven't had a technician inspect your system this spring, contact Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating. We've been providing HVAC services for the mid-Ohio region since 1965.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat pumps and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating, Inc. services the Mid-Ohio area.
