Ideas to getting the most out of your heat pump
Whether it’s winter or summer, most people rely heavily on their heat pump to control the temperature in their house. Here’s how to get the most out of your system all year round.
Regularly service your heat pump
Your heat pump is just like any other appliance that requires regular maintenance to ensure it’s running smoothly. Being a motorised system, several moving parts can fall subject to wear and tear. But with regular checks, a qualified heat pump technician in NZ can identify potential problems and fix them before they turn into major issues.
It’s recommended that you have your heat pump serviced every 12 months. A lot of people choose to do this right before winter, so the unit performs optimally for the coldest part of the year. But realistically, as long as you’re consistent with your maintenance schedule, you should be fine.
The benefits of regular servicing
Why is heat pump maintenance so important? Well, mainly because of the following benefits!
Lower energy bills
An inefficient heat pump constantly has to work harder to heat or cool your home. Ultimately, this means higher energy bills for your family because the heat pump is always pushing harder to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. Regular maintenance means lower energy bills.
Cleaner air
You’ll be aware that heat pumps are also known as air conditioners. As this name suggests, they also provide the important function of cleaning or recycling the air in your home, making it healthier to breathe. But they can’t do this if they’re not running well.
Avoid costly repairs
Scheduled maintenance is often more about prevention than cure. Your technician will identify parts that should be replaced now, soon or in the future. This can help to prevent total system failure and the need for costly repairs or replacements.
Clean the filters
Regular servicing is, of course, the best way to keep your heat pump performing well. However, you can do some very basic maintenance yourself to help the cause. Heat pump filters become covered in dust and other particles that your heat pump filters out of the air. When left unchecked, this makes it harder for clean air to flow into your room.
Filters are very easily removed, and all you need to do is give them a quick clean to remove any contaminants. Place them back in the system, and you’re done. It’s that easy, and you should do this at least every 6 months to ensure proper function.
Maximise your temperature control
There are ways to get more out of your heat pump that don’t even involve the heat pump itself. Remember that the heat pump’s job is to control the temperature in your home. So, if the system needs to work harder to keep your house comfortable, there’s more wear and tear on components and your energy bills will be higher.
Here are a few tips for the rest of the house, that will make your heat pump more efficient.
Close off unused rooms
Do you have spare bedrooms or entertaining areas that you’re not currently using? Where possible, close those rooms off. If you’re not in there, they don’t need to be heated and it’s just more area that your heat pump needs to control. Especially if those rooms are quite far away from the heat pump, it will need to work overtime to keep those unused rooms warm.
Invest in insulation
Insulation in your walls and ceiling gives you the most practical way to control the temperature in your home. If not already installed, you can try to install some yourself or call some experts to help. The ceiling is usually the easiest to insulate because you have access to the roof cavity. Walls can be a little trickier and may require specialist help.
Insulation basically stops air from leaving your home easily. The result is your heat pump not working as hard, therefore costing you less to run.
Prevent air escaping
While insulation is a great option, there are other ways to stop air from leaving your home. Needless to say, if you’re running a heat pump, don’t leave windows or doors open. This is completely counter-intuitive. But you should also check for drafts around doors and windows. If there is air getting in or out, this puts more pressure on your heat pump.
You can buy weatherstripping for a small price at any hardware store, and it’s simple to install. Adding this around windows and doors gives you some extra protection from the cold air outside.
Need help maintaining your heat pump?
Here at RCR, we’re the experts in heat pump servicing and repair. All you need to do is contact our friendly team and schedule a service. We can even send annual reminders so that you never miss out on servicing and maintenance again. RCR has the skills and experience to keep your heat pump running efficiently, and your home comfortable all year round.
