Regular maintenance is important for any HVAC system, but it’s especially so for heat pump systems because they get used throughout most of the year. A traditional heating system that contains both a furnace and a cooling system only needs to be inspected and serviced once a year. If you have a heat pump system, it’s crucial that you have it inspected twice a year—once in the early spring and again in the early fall.
In this article, we’ll look at the reasons why twice-yearly heat pump maintenance is so important and what it entails.
Improved Energy Efficiency
Heat pumps are equally as efficient as air conditioners at cooling and far more efficient than any other heating option. However, they can quickly develop various problems that can lead to a substantial reduction in efficiency if they do not receive the proper care. One of the most important parts of heat pump service is fully cleaning the coil in the outdoor unit.
The fact that the coil is outside means it tends to get coated with quite a bit of dirt, dust and debris. In some cases, this issue can result in as much as a 20-30% reduction in efficiency. You’ll also see a substantial decrease in cooling and heating performance if the coil is too dirty, potentially resulting in your house never staying fully comfortable.
Even though Oklahoma winters are fairly mild, most people still have a cold-climate system with electric heat strips for auxiliary or backup heating. These strips come in handy when you need to heat your house faster or on unusually cold days when the heat pump may not work well enough. The only issue is that they use far more energy than the heat pump. If your heat pump has been neglected and doesn’t work effectively enough, the heat strips will have to be on much more—resulting in your heating bills being much higher.
Longer Life Expectancy
Heat pump systems have numerous advantages over traditional HVAC systems, such as providing both heating and cooling and offering much more efficient heating. The only drawback to heat pumps providing both heating and cooling is that they run much more per year, resulting in them typically having a shorter lifespan compared to air conditioners and furnaces. You can sometimes still get up to 15 years or so of life out of a heat pump before it fails or no longer works effectively enough, but this is only if you make sure it’s properly maintained and remains in good condition.
If you don’t have a professional inspect and maintain your heat pump twice a year, you can be fairly certain that it will develop issues that lead to increased wear and tear and shorten its lifespan. That means you could find yourself needing to pay for a full system replacement in eight to 10 years at the most.
Lower Chance of Breakdowns and Repairs
The increased wear and tear a poorly maintained heat pump system experiences can also lead to sudden breakdowns or result in you needing to pay for expensive repairs. When inspecting and servicing a heat pump system, an experienced technician will usually be able to spot any potential problems that could cause the system to suddenly stop working. Maintaining the system to ensure it works effectively also lessens the strain on components like the compressor and reduces the overall wear and tear.
Warranty Protection
Most new heat pump systems come with at least a 5- to 10-year limited parts warranty, and some even have 12- to 15-year warranties. If your system is under warranty, you’ll only have to pay the labor fees to repair it if it breaks down due to a defective component. In the case of a defective compressor, the warranty can save you hundreds or even over a thousand dollars.
The only thing you need to be aware of is that HVAC warranties are dependent on the system being properly maintained by a professional. If you don’t have records showing that you had your system maintained regularly, the manufacturer will likely determine that neglect was at least partly why the issue occurred and deny your claim.
Schedule Maintenance Now
For more than 40 years, TS Heat & Air has been the premier choice for AC and heating services in Bethany and the OKC Metro area. Our certified technicians are experts in heat pump maintenance and will make sure your system gets all of the help it needs to stay in peak condition. Although we mainly install Lennox products, we can service and repair HVAC equipment from any manufacturer.
To schedule a heat pump tune-up or any other service, contact us today!
