Cold temperatures and severe weather can take a toll on your heat pump, making it harder to keep your home heated this winter. In order to ensure that you have enough heat, it’s important to make heat pump maintenance a priority this time of year. Use the following tips to help you out.
Check Filters
Having filters that are clogged with dirt or dust can hurt your heat pump’s efficiency and make it wear out faster. Check these filters at least once per month, and replace them when necessary. You can also clean them off if they’re only slightly dirty.
Clean Outdoor Coils
The outdoor coils on your heat pump can also become dirty, which can cause your equipment to run for longer periods of time to keep your home heated. Check and clean these outdoor coils as needed to keep your heat pump running smoothly.
Clear Away Vegetation
Plants, weeds, leaves and other types of vegetation should be cleared away from your heat pump unit. When they’re allowed to grow or pile up too close to it, they can end up clogging the fan and causing your pump to break down. Keep at least one or two feet of space around your entire heat pump unit at all times to avoid problems.
Schedule Preventive Maintenance
Although you can do simple tasks at home, such as changing filters and getting rid of vegetation, other heat pump maintenance tasks are best left to HVAC experts. Schedule preventive maintenance on your heat pump each year before winter hits. This maintenance should include tasks such as checking for refrigerant leaks, correcting refrigerant charge, lubricating motors, inspecting belts and correcting thermostats if needed. Having preventive maintenance done provides you with additional peace of mind that your heat pump will be able to run efficiently all winter long.
If you need help with heat pump maintenance this winter, let the HVAC experts at Airco Service, Inc. handle it. We offer heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing services to customers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.