4 Important Heat Pump Maintenance Tips

How often do you schedule a maintenance visit for the heat pump in your Birmingham home? Taking proper care of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is the best way to ensure it will function efficiently and reach its full service life potential.

Plus, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your heat pump is in top shape with no signs of trouble. After all, nobody wants to experience a system breakdown.

Western Sales and Services understands how important it is for your heat pump to operate at its greatest capacity. You depend on your system for comfort, and it’s our mission to help you achieve this. So whether you need to keep warm or cool down, we are here to help.

A heat pump offers both the heating and cooling you need for optimal indoor comfort, but keeping up with routine maintenance is critical for it to remain in peak condition. Let us walk you through some basic heat pump maintenance tips to ensure maximum efficiency.  

1. Change or Clean Your Air Filter
   Like many other types of HVAC systems, heat pumps have an air filter that needs to be replaced every one to three months. Air filters are designed to catch particles so you don’t end up breathing them in.
   
   Your air filter prevents a significant amount of dust, dirt, pet dander, bacteria, and viruses from circulating in the air throughout your home, ultimately improving your indoor air quality (IAQ). If you don’t replace or wash a reusable filter, you’ll expose yourself to the buildup of debris and contaminants. This can aggravate symptoms of conditions like asthma, allergies, and upper respiratory issues, so if you struggle with any of these, be sure to change your filter regularly.
   
   How do you rate a filter? Look at the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating. Filters with high MERV ratings are capable of trapping even the smallest of particles—just be sure the filter with the MERV rating you choose is compatible with your heat pump or you may restrict airflow.
   
2. Clean Your Heat Pump and Surrounding Area Carefully
   Keep the area where your outdoor unit is located as clear as possible. Mow the surrounding grass and trim any hedges, shrubs, or other plants that are nearby. Ideally, your heat pump should have a clearance of at least a couple of feet on each side for efficient airflow.
   
   Remove dirt, leaves, branches, and other debris from the top and sides of your system. Otherwise, you risk damage to your heat pump. When the weather is warm, you can carefully wash it with a garden hose on a mild setting.
   
   During the winter, clear off any buildup of ice and snow. You can safely defrost the ice and snow by first turning off the power of your unit, waiting for it to completely shut off, and then pouring warm water over it. Once it is carefully melted and removed, you can turn the unit back on.
   
3. Stay on Top of Problems and Schedule Safety Inspections
   Flush the indoor condensate pan and drain in the spring before using the air conditioning. This is extremely important if the unit is above or in a finished living area, but should really be done by a trained service technician.
   While you can perform some maintenance tasks on your own, there’s no greater peace of mind than knowing a heating and cooling professional has evaluated your heat pump. Be sure to keep up with regular safety and inspection checks so any issues can be discovered early on.
   Having a team of professionals inspect your HVAC system is great, but if an issue is discovered, it’s important to have it addressed soon. Don’t delay important repairs. Take care of minor problems too—otherwise, they may become major and expensive.
   
4. Opt for Professional Maintenance Annually
   Doing your part to maintain your heat pump is critical so it can remain in good condition, but you can also leave it to our experts to perform maintenance—big or small, we handle it all. You should be scheduling a professional heat pump maintenance visit at least once a year anyway.
   
   With professional maintenance, you’ll be able to remain in compliance with your warranty, reduce the risk of a complete system breakdown, and improve the overall efficiency of your system. In fact, you could save up to 30 percent on your energy bill when you perform maintenance services that support ideal system efficiency, according to the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA).

What Happens During a Professional Maintenance Visit?

During a routine professional maintenance visit with our professionals, you can expect us to:

• Inspect your air ducts and seal any air leaks or tears.
• Evaluate refrigerant levels and address any leaks.
• Check your thermostat and ensure it is functioning properly.
• Clean indoor and outdoor components to support smooth operation.
• Assess all components to be sure there are no current or potential issues that need to be addressed.

When it comes to heat pump maintenance, our professionals are here to help. We want your system to remain in top shape for many years to come, so if you’re ever unsure about how to properly maintain your heat pump on your own or would prefer to leave it to our experts, just give us a call.

We also offer an exceptional maintenance plan to help ensure you never miss a service that will encourage your system to operate as efficiently as possible. Be sure to speak with our experts to learn more and become a member today!

Contact Our Professionals for Heat Pump Maintenance Today

Our Western Sales and Services professionals have been providing critical maintenance services for homeowners in the Birmingham, AL, area for several years. Place your trust in us—we are here to address your heat pump concerns. Call 205-787-8674 or request service online today.