A heat pump is a very efficient heating and cooling system that performs year-round to maintain the comfort levels in your home. With spring’s arrival and warmer temperatures approaching, it’s time to get your heat pump ready for the hot summer months ahead. Do this heat pump maintenance yourself in five easy steps and keep your system running at optimum levels for many years:

  1. Clean or replace air filters monthly, or as recommended by your HVAC contractor. A dirty air filter will reduce airflow and cause your system to work harder in order to maintain the comfort levels you have set. If you have pets or if someone in your home suffers from spring allergies, it is even more important to clean or switch out the air filter often. Shut off power to the air handler while replacing the air filter to keep the fan from turning on and distributing dust particles through the vents.
  2. Keep the area around the outside condenser unit free of debris and vegetation to allow sufficient airflow. It is good if the unit is shaded, but be sure to keep any fencing, shrubs, trees or branches at least five feet back on all sides.
  3. To keep the outdoor unit’s fins free of dust or grass clippings, spray around it occasionally with a water hose.
  4. Make sure the indoor air supply and return registers are not restricted or blocked by furniture so that airflow throughout your home remains balanced.
  5. Make an appointment with a qualified service technician to perform a heat pump maintenance inspection before the summer cooling season begins. Among other things, refrigerant levels will be checked and filled if needed, all moving parts will be cleaned and lubricated, electrical connections will be inspected and tightened, and airflow through the system will be measured and corrected.

Heat pump maintenance is one of the most important factors in the life of your system and how efficiently it performs. For more on this and other HVAC needs, contact the professionals at Comfort Systems. We have provided quality service to Wichita area homeowners since 1996.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Wichita, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about heat pump maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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