Your Heat Pump Specialists
Contrary to their names, heat pumps don’t just provide warmth to your home, they also provide cooling. The reason behind their name is because the system doesn’t create cold air to circulate around your house. Instead, when you run the air conditioner, it removes heat from the air in your home by pushing it outside. When you run the heater, it collects warm air from outside to redistribute into your house.
It may sound impossible to pull heat from outside in the dead of winter, but heat pumps contain condenser coils that attract warmth from their surroundings. Refrigerant distributes the hot air to evaporator coils. These coils further emit high temperature air that then mixes with the rest of the air being pumped through the system. The heated air pushes through your vents and circulates throughout your house to create a warmer environment.
If you own a heat pump system, you can call us to maintain the unit or you can follow these maintenance tips to keep it running smoothly and efficiently.
Maintaining Your Heat Pump
You can enjoy many years from your heat pump if you maintain it properly and call Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc. to professionally clean and inspect it once a year.
Between annual inspections, you can extend your system’s lifespan by doing the following:
In winter, ice can form in and around the unit. Use the defrost option to thaw it. Remember, your unit can’t work if there’s too much ice and snow built up around the system. It blocks important vents, and without proper air flow, your heat pump will have to work harder and longer to reach the temperatures you set. If it’s still extremely cold out, use warm water to wash the snow and ice away. Call Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc. if you need assistance ridding your system of ice. One of our professionals can clear the heat pump and properly cover your unit’s pipes to keep them from bursting. They can also suggest a shelter to keep snow and ice out — but do not directly cover the unit. This can hurt the system and block the vents just as badly as the snow.
The filters on your unit help keep it running efficiently and also keep dust, debris, dust mites and bacteria from swirling around your home on the circulating air. Vents should be changed every one to two months, depending on whether you own a furry pet, suffer from allergies or asthma, or live in a dusty environment.
There should be no shrubbery, storage boxes or anything else within two feet of your system. This is especially true of flammable items like cardboard, paper, or chemical containers. Much like with the ice and snow, anything that covers the unit can restrict important airflow. More importantly, any nearby debris or containers can pose as a fire hazard.
Regularly cleaning your system can keep it running at full efficiency. To clean the unit, simply wipe off any dirt, dust, or debris. For the coils, you may need to turn to a heavy-duty degreaser. Turn off the unit, wipe down the coils and rinse them off by hosing them down. For interior cleaning, call Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc.. One of our trained professionals will ensure your ducts are clear, coils and the innermost parts of your unit are clean, and more. When you’re not sure how to properly clean your heat pump, or if you just want to ensure the smaller components are cleaned, too, let us help.
When you keep up with regular maintenance, you may assume there’s no need to contact a professional. The truth is all air conditioners, heaters and heat pumps should be serviced by a professional HVAC technician at least once a year. Though you can clean your own coils and the exterior of the unit, there are fragile components that are difficult to reach. Only a member of our experienced team can ensure all pieces are properly cleaned — and they’ll do a lot more than simply clean your heat pump. Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc. professionals will clean and inspect your unit for regular or unusual wear. They will flush the indoor condensate pan and drain, oil the fans and blower motor, inspect wires for frays and secure plugs, check the suction line pressure and will conduct a duct inspection.
Signs That Your Heat Pump is Failing
You can do everything right but nothing can prevent aging and normal wear and tear. No matter how perfectly you treat your system, there will be times when it fails to work at full efficiency. If you suspect anything is wrong with your heat pump, pay attention to it. Look for the following signs, then call Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc. for help.
There is no reason you should wake up feeling clammy. If your dehumidifier is working properly, your house should always stay between 30% and 50% humidity. That means you shouldn’t have any condensation resting on windows, none of your rooms should feel muggy and there should be clear airflow in each area of your home. If you notice there are sections of your house that do show signs of excess humidity, check the air vents. Ensure there is no furniture blocking the flow of air and that each vent is fully open. If the vents are free from obstructions and are fully open, call Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc.. One of our professional technicians will inspect your HVAC system to see what’s going on. They’ll let you know what repairs or replacements are needed and will offer them at affordable prices.
Your humidifier may be on the fritz if the air is drier in your home than it is outside. Signs your home is too dry include static buildup, chapped lips, dry skin, a sore throat and even nose bleeds. So, if you feel like you’re always layering on the lotion and lip gloss, call Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc.. One of our professional technicians will inspect the humidifier and make any necessary repairs.
Many things can cause illness, but did you know you could get asthma and allergy symptoms if it’s too wet or too dry in your home? As previously explained, you can get a sore throat, feel dry and get itchy eyes or nosebleeds if there’s not enough moisture in the air. But if your environment is too wet, your chest can feel tight, you can have difficulty breathing and you may experience wheezing.
Those who already suffer seasonal allergies, asthma or other breathing-related problems may see an increase in symptoms, while healthy individuals may begin to feel like they’re coming down with something. If it’s too wet in your home, mold and mildew may be building up, which can be dangerous to inhale. When you start to feel extra dry or sick, call Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc.. Our knowledgeable technicians can help. They’ll fix the humidifier, dehumidifier, thermostat or anything else that’s going on with your unit.
If you notice there is white dust flowing through your home, it can be a sign your humidifier is on the fritz. The dust is just mineral residue that can’t hurt you or your family, but it can be present when you’re not using distilled water in the system. There may be a backup of mineral dust, so a technician should be called to inspect and clean the unit and your ducts.
If you’re enjoying time in your living room, then suddenly something smells like mushrooms, or maybe there’s a foul odor or something stinks like it’s burning, something is wrong with your unit. You could be facing the growth of mold or bacteria in your ducts, while the burning odor could be signs of an electrical problem. If the humidifier isn’t working properly, mold can be growing in your ducts. If the dehumidifier isn’t working right, that can also lead to the growth of mold, bacteria and mildew. When you notice these unusual odors, call Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc. so one of our experienced technicians can investigate. Your tech will let you know if something has died in your ducts, if there is mold or mildew growth, or if the wires on the humidifier, dehumidifier or other parts of your unit have been damaged.
If you notice new puddles by your unit, your humidifier or dehumidifier may be leaking. Water around the electrical system can be dangerous for your HVAC system and your home. Don’t hesitate to contact Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc. to investigate the source of the leak. One of our friendly and knowledgeable techs will diagnose the problem and offer affordable solutions.
At Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc., we believe you and your family deserve to be comfortable all year round. So, if you live in or around Sioux Falls, South Dakota and your heat pump is giving you trouble, give us a call. When your warming and cooling system needs to be serviced or replaced, schedule an appointment with one of our professional, friendly and knowledgeable technicians. We offer services and repairs, as well as the installation of several products. We can install air conditioners, humidifiers and dehumidifiers, heat pumps, heaters, thermostats, furnaces and more.
Call Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc. today at (605) 277-7336, you can trust us to take care of all your HVAC needs!
