The climate of Corpus Christi makes heat pumps an ideal source of heating and cooling. Just like a furnace and air conditioner, heat pumps can only reach their full efficiency if they’re well-maintained. In addition to the tasks performed by your local HVAC experts during yearly heat pump maintenance, there are a number of things you can do to keep your pump working well.
Heat Pump Maintenance Homeowners Can Tackle
On your own, pay attention to the following tasks:
- Keep the outdoor unit clear. The heat pump’s outdoor unit should have three feet on each side clear of clutter and overgrowth.
- Change the air filter. The air filter can clog up over the course of a month, blocking airflow to your living areas.
- Set the thermostat correctly. Make sure the backup heat isn’t coming on too early in the winter, and set the temperature back when you’re out of the house or asleep. This will reduce the demand on your heat pump and save you money.
- Keep the system fan set to “auto,” not “on.” Look into a whole-house ventilation system if you want better airflow through your home.
Professional Heat Pump Maintenance Tasks
Once a year, have a professional inspect your system. Their task list includes:
- Looking over ductwork for obstructions, leaks and loose joins.
- Checking airflow volume through the ducts to determine if you’re losing air in your system.
- Examining refrigerant lines for leaks and verifying that your refrigerant charge is correct.
- Inspecting electrical connections.
- Examining moving parts, replacing worn parts such as fan belts and lubricating internal system components.
- Checking up on the heat pump’s operation. For example, they can verify that the heating and cooling modes won’t try to engage at the same time.
- Testing the thermostat to make sure it’s communicating with your system and recording the correct temperature.
- Alerting you to any potential heat pump problems on the horizon.
If you’re curious about how to get the most out of your heat pump or you want to schedule heat pump maintenance, call us at CCAC, Inc! We’ve proudly served Corpus Christi since 1979.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat pump maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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