How To Extend The Lifespan Of Your Heat Pump

Your heat pump is an alternative type of central heating and cooling appliance that works to draw hot air into or out of your home depending on the season. Just like all other major appliances, general wear and tear and age can have a degrading effect on the efficiency and effectiveness of your unit. Understanding some of the regular maintenance tasks that you can complete to keep your heat pump in good working order can help you maximize the lifespan of your unit, saving you money on repair and replacement bills.

Change the Air Filters

The easiest thing that you can do to ensure that your heat pump unit is working at peak efficiency, and thus is not suffering from undue wear and tear, is to regularly change the air filters within the unit. Air filters can be removed from the unit either with a screwdriver or by hand, depending on the model. You should replace your unit every few months, depending on usage. If you don't know the proper size for your filter, just bring the old dirty filter into a hardware store to match its size to a new filter.

Clean the Outdoor Unit

Another important maintenance task that you can do to ensure that your unit is working properly is to clear away any stuck-on dirt and debris which may have piled up around your heat pump's external unit. This means removing leaves and branches which may have fallen over, and spraying down the unit with a hose to remove caked on mud which can have a negative effect on the ability of your unit to move heater into and out of your home. This is especially important to do after major storms, where debris may clutter your yard and block your unit.

Clean the Vents and Ducts

To prevent your heat pump from running constantly, you should check to make sure that all of the vents throughout your home are clear of dust and blockages. If you have a ducted heat pump, you may want to have a professional come in and clean out your ductwork to ensure that air is able to flow properly. Blocked vents and ducts can force your unit to run almost constantly in an attempt to alter the temperature within you home, but since heated or cooled air will not be able to be distributed throughout your house, that energy and resulting wear and tear will be in vain – making a mechanical failure much more likely.

For more information, contact local air conditioning services.

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