Keeping Your Home Comfortable With Regular Heat Pump Maintenance
Heat pumps require regular maintenance, just like a conventional heating and cooling system. But what does that mean, exactly? And, what difference does it make?
The short answer is that regular maintenance, or a tune-up, is like an inspection for your car: A certified tech goes over dozens of inspection points and addresses any problems. You get better comfort, improved indoor air quality, and lower bills as a result.
And, when it comes to heat pumps and mini split systems, there’s an extra step to consider: A deep cleaning.
It’s not something you usually need with a furnace or central air. But, it makes a big difference with heat pumps.
Since that’s our specialty, we’re focusing on mini splits or ductless systems and heat pumps in this article. We’ll go into more detail about tune-ups and then talk about the benefits of a separate cleaning.
And, if your Treasure Valley home or business uses a heat pump system, we’re here to help! Feel free to call us any time with questions about your system’s energy usage or performance. Or about your comfort and indoor air quality. You don’t need an appointment to get the answers you need. Click below or call (208) 779-5596.
Related: Four Factors To Consider When Buying Air Conditioner
Do Heat Pumps Need Servicing?
Heat pumps need regular servicing, or tune-ups, just like traditional furnaces and central air. These inspections and cleanings prevent breakdowns, comfort issues, and excess energy use. Tune-ups are recommended in the spring and fall, before the cooling and heating seasons, respectively.
This all falls under regular maintenance and needs to be done by a certified HVAC technician. However, mini split heat pumps systems and traditional systems differ because mini splits often require separate cleanings.
We’ll talk about those a little more in a moment. For now, let’s dive deeper into your tune-up.
Related: Who Should I Trust To Maintain My Heat Pump?
What Do I Get With A Heat Pump Tune-Up?
Heat pump tune-ups take about an hour for both mini splits and ducted setups. Your tech goes through dozens of inspection points on all the equipment. They check all electrical connections, ensure the motors are working correctly, and ensure there are no signs of refrigerant leaks.
At the same time, they’ll identify any parts that appear worn out or broken. This step avoids bigger problems while your system works harder in the summer and winter.
That’s when weakened parts break, or a small amount of damage gets worse and causes a breakdown.
Related: What Could Go Wrong With An Improper Mini Split Installation?
Your tech will also clean out your system as part of the maintenance visit. While that part of the process helps your mini split run smoothly, it doesn’t eliminate all the problems that can — and often do — arise from dirt, microbial contamination, and other buildup in your air handlers and heat pump.
That’s where the deep cleaning comes in.
Heat Pump Service Vs. Deep Cleaning
A heat pump service call involved a licensed HVAC tech inspecting and optimizing your system’s electrical components and moving parts. A deep cleaning reaches every surface inside your air handlers and heat pump to flush out and eradicate all dirt, allergens, mold spores, bacteria, and other buildup.
They’re two different services. Even as a world-renowned mini split cleaning service, our HydroKleen208 techs can’t identify or fix mechanical or electrical problems. But, most HVAC contractors can’t get your system nearly as clean as we can.
Related: How Often Should A Mini Split Be Cleaned?
That’s why both a tune-up and cleaning should be part of your regular maintenance routine. You’ll rarely need more than one cleaning each year. And, in some cases, you can go even longer between visits.
But, it’s still an essential service — and that becomes more apparent as these systems become more popular here in the U.S.
Buildup And Contamination In Ductless Systems
Over time, dust, dirt, bacteria, and mold spores build up inside the air handlers of a ductless system. These pollutants get sucked in with the air and build up or cultivate on the components. The coil gets particularly dirty and ends up looking like this:
Heat pumps have similar problems: All sorts of stuff accumulates or grows in and on the outdoor units. And getting rid of it is challenging.
The reason is that you can’t just take these apart and clean them. There are dozens of small, delicate components in each one. And, doing so voids the warranty.
Even if you did, you’d then have to scrub every single surface manually. It would take hours — even for an experienced HVAC technician. And, you’d need them to do it anyway to keep your warranty.
Meanwhile, all that buildup causes a host of problems.
Your system uses more electricity than it should and leaves hot and cold spots in your home. That’s because the dirt and mold block the airflow, preventing the air handler from working correctly.
Even worse, it affects your health: All that junk circulates back into the air you breathe. In all: you’re uncomfortable, feeling sick, and paying more on your electric bill.
Benefits Of Heat Pump Deep Cleaning
A HydroKleen208 heat pump cleaning eliminates these problems when they stem from dirty components. We use custom-made tools and strong yet nontoxic cleaners that flush out and sanitize the entire system.
Remember that coil we showed you before? Here’s a photo where we cleaned half of one and then stopped to let the homeowner see the progress:
The results? Better indoor air quality. Better comfort. And lower electric bills.
Related: What Does It Cost To Clean A Heat Pump?
Heat Pump Cleaning In Boise, ID
HydroKleen208 guarantees the most effective and comprehensive heat pump cleaning in Boise, ID and as far north as McCall. You can click here to learn more about what we do. Or click below or call (208) 779-5596 to learn more or schedule your appointment.