Why You Should Clean Your Heat Pump
HVAC services shouldn't cost you too much money over the years. Of course, if you do some basic HVAC cleaning and maintenance on your own, you can definitely decrease how much time and money you need to spend on professional HVAC technicians. This article explains one HVAC cleaning job that is very easy to do yourself, even if you have no experience with residential HVAC systems.
The Heat Pump is a Vital Part of Your System
A heat pump, to put it as simply as possible, is responsible for circulating air throughout your home. This means it helps to draw warm air out of your house and pump cold air into it when you are running the AC. It basically does the opposite when you are running your furnace. The pump is also responsible for circulating heat through the refrigerant lines. Basically, if a pump is not working at peak efficiency, it is going to slow down the productivity of your heating and air conditioning systems.
The Heat Pump Needs Regular Cleaning
It is also important to realize that the heat pump, since it is outside of your house, is the component that needs to be cleaned most often. That is, it is one of the most vulnerable components in your entire system because it can be exposed to rain, wind, and the resulting dirt buildup. Additionally, the outside of the heat pump is perhaps the most vital part of the entire system, and it also happens to be the most exposed. So, you should consider cleaning the outside of your heat pump at least once a year. The inside of the main fan compartment is mostly covered and doesn't need to be cleaned so often. In fact, if you cover your pump during the months that you don't use your HVAC, you can protect and preserve your pump.
Focus on cleaning the exterior walls of the pump, because this is where the vital condenser coils are. The coils are best cleaned by just being spraying out with a hose. Just use moderate pressure and most the dirt should wash away. If any dirt is stuck on the coils, you can break it down with some all-purpose liquid cleaner or degreaser; then wash it out with water.
Cleaning your heat pump is so simple, and you shouldn't have any problem keeping it clean and productive. A clean heat pump is going to cost less to run. Caring for it yourself will make it less likely that you'll need to call heating repair services.