How to Maintain Your Heat Pump This Winter

Heat pumps are a perfect choice for many Nanaimo homes, which have comparatively fewer heating and cooling needs than the rest of Canada. They actually work in a very similar way to most air conditioners. Often, in fact, one unit can both heat and cool a house by reversing the same process of heat transfer, either bringing heat into or removing heat from your house. There are several different kinds of heat pumps that use these principles in different ways. Because heat pumps simply move heat rather than creating it, they are typically much more environmentally friendly than traditional heating methods. Whichever kind of heat pump you have, however, you should be sure to maintain them throughout the winter to keep them running at peak performance.

Here are a few tips on how to maintain your heat pump:

• Protect your pump from the elements. Remove any dead leaves or other vegetation. Be sure to keep any snow or ice out of it.
• Keep your pump away from the gutters. Wherever icicles form, that means there’s water dripping. If any ice or water gets into the internal mechanisms of the pump it can cause damage when the water expands and contracts with the temperature changes. Similarly, any ice that forms on your gutters may fall onto your pump, causing damage.
• Check filters and clean the pump’s coils. This should be done particularly at the beginning of the winter to clear out any dirt or debris that has accumulated over the summer.
• Keep your pump elevated and away from snow and ice.

The best way to maintain your heat pump is to have it regularly checked by a professional. At Norm’s Mobile Services Ltd. our journeyman heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) professionals are fully licensed and experienced in every problem that can happen to heat pumps in Nanaimo. Contact us today to schedule an inspection or find out more about whether heat pumps are right for your Nanaimo home.