Heat Pumps And Their Maintenance

A heat pump is actually the perfect fusion of an air conditioner and a heater into one unit

. Though these units are most effective where the climate is generally mild, many people use them for the sake of simplicity. Heat pumps, unlike many other units, use electricity to do their work rather than other forms of fuel such as natural gas or propane. Many people actually prefer this in a mild climate because generally the unit is energy efficient as well as simple. All it takes to change from cooling to heating is the simple flip of a switch for a home owner, doing away with the need to operate multiple systems. A heat pump or linked series, depending upon the size, can be used in small or large buildings.

Heat pumps use the dynamics of both an air conditioner and an electric furnace. This is how it functions; in cool weather, a heat pump will draw in whatever available heat there is out of the outside air, amplify it and pump this heated air into your home. In hot weather, the heat pump uses a refrigerant liquid that is put under pressure and expanded to cool the air, and pumps the cool air into your home. Coils inside the heat pump hold the pressurized fluid or gas, and in cooler weather the same coils have air pulled over them to extract the available heat from the cool air.

A heat pump needs regular maintenance and cleaning to run at top efficiency. That includes a routine visit from the air conditioning technician once a year, and this is one of the most important things you can do for your system. A skilled technician should service a heat pump one or two times a year, preferably before the seasons of maximum usage, namely winter and summer. These units also require normal, routine maintenance from you to keep them functioning at their best.

Cleaning the area around the unit is very important to keep weeds and debris from getting into the housing. It is also essential to keep as much debris away from the air intakes as well. When there is no free air circulation, the unit will have to work harder and eventually burn up. Heat pumps need fresh, moving air to keep from binding up due to overworking. Keeping the unit de-iced in the winter should be considered, so consult your service tech of what you could do for this .

Clean the inside air intake filters regularly, and keep the inside part of the unit dust free and the drips pans cleaned out. If your unit is freezing over, call a tech immediately, as something is very wrong when a unit freezes up anywhere, especially on the coils. Visible ice or frost on any part of your heat pump should be attended to immediately, to possibly avoid expensive replacement costs to you.

Take care of your heat pump, and you will be cool, or warm, and comfortable all through the year.

by: Lance Peters

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