If you are looking for ways to reduce your monthly utility bills, you might consider turning your attention to your heat pump. Well-maintained heat pumps work to effectively and efficiently cool your home in the summer and heat it in the winter. A well-maintained heat pump can reduce your utility bills by as much as 10 to 25 percent annually.
There are two types of heat pump:
- Air-source heat pumps, which draw air from an outdoor source during the winter, and indoors in the summer, and either heat it or cool it, as applicable.
- Geothermal heat pumps, which extract heat from inside during warmer months, and then draw heat directly from the ground during cooler months.
Do-It-Yourself Heat-Pump Maintenance
When you maintain your heat pumps properly, you’ll extend their life and maintain their effectiveness. Here are a few do-it-yourself maintenance steps that you can take:
- Clean or replace your filters every one to three months, depending on how dirty they get.
- Remove dirt and debris from your outdoor unit’s coils as necessary, using either a broom or brush, or by washing them with a hose during the warm weather.
- Clean your interior unit’s fan coils, if you can reach them. This may require a visit from an HVAC specialist.
- Empty and clean the unit’s return registers regularly.
Professional Heat-Pump Maintenance
While you can perform much of your regular heat-pump maintenance yourself, you need to schedule a visit with an HVAC expert annually to do the following:
- Inspect and replace, if necessary, ducts, filters, blowers and indoor coils
- Verify your system’s airflow measurement to ensure that it is adequate
- Determine whether your refrigerant has the proper charge, and whether your system is leaking refrigerant
- Inspect the system’s electrical terminals
- Lubricate the system’s motor, and inspect and replace belts, as necessary
- Verify that the thermostat is operating correctly
Ongoing, scheduled maintenance can ensure that your heat pump functions properly, which will extend its life and ultimately saves you money. For more information, contact the professionals at Jackson & Sons Heating and Air Conditioning, who have been proudly serving the eastern North Carolina area for more than 30 years.
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, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Jackson & Sons services most of eastern North Carolina including Wayne, Johnston, Greene, Lenoir, and Duplin Counties. Visit our website to see our special offersand get started today!
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