Helpful tips to extend the life of your heat pump in Vermont

The beauty of a heat pump is that it can keep your home comfortable year round. It pulls heat from the air, even in the cold winters of Vermont, to heat your home. Conversely, it can help cool your home in the summer. 

Heat pumps are energy efficient, helping to lower the overall cost of your energy bills, and are also good for the environment by lowering your home’s carbon footprint.

Compared to legacy heating systems such as a furnace or air conditioner, heat pumps experience far more wear and tear, especially given the frigid winter temperatures inVermont. On average, heat pumps will last 10 to 15 years, compared to 20 to 30 years for a gas furnace. That being said, the lifespan of your heat pump ultimately depends on how well it is maintained. With routine care and preventative maintenance, a heat pump can last 20 years or more.

Plumbers 911 Vermont urges you to take care of your heat pump because if you do, it will take care of you by making your home comfortable for decades. Here are five tips to extend the life of your heat pump in Vermont:

 

1. Regularly schedule inspection and maintenance with a Vermont HVAC tech 

If you want your heat pump to perform for decades, have it serviced by a licensed Vermont HVAC professional at least twice per year — ideally at the beginning and close of the cold weather season. 

Call HVAC 911 and be referred to a licensed HVAC contractor who will dispatch an experienced service tech to ensure air flow is properly circulating through the system. A thorough maintenance should include most of the following: 

• Inspect ductwork and seal any leaks
• Clean your system and remove any dirt and blockages
• Check the system’s refrigerant levels and inspect the refrigerant system for leaks
• Inspect all electrical components and make any repairs
• Inspect and tighten system belts
• Test the thermostat to ensure it works at peak performance 
• Make any other proactive repairs to ensure your heat pump does not break down in the middle of a Vermont winter storm. 

 

2. Follow through on tune ups according to your manufacturer’s warranty

Most new heat pumps are covered by a manufacturer’s warranty that covers critical parts and components for an extended period of time. This includes manufacturing defects, failure of system components or other issues that may arise that are not a part of normal operation. A warranty protects critical parts of your heat pump that are important to prolonging its lifespan.

Keep in mind, most of these warranties require you to schedule routine service calls with licensed HVAC specialists. Call Plumbers 911 Vermont to be referred to a contractor who has experience with heat pumps and can send an experienced technician to service your unit. 

Keeping up with the warranty schedule will not only optimize the lifespan of your system, but routine maintenance will also keep your heat pump from breaking down. In the event something does break, the heat pump is likely covered by your warranty since it is serviced as required. 

 

3. Keep up with regular maintenance

While it is important to have your heat pump serviced by a professional twice a year, there are routine maintenance tasks you should also be doing throughout the year. Check your filters monthly and replace them when necessary. This will ensure proper air flow through your system so the heat pump is not overstrained. By not pushing your heat pump to extremes, it will last longer.

Also, pay attention to the landscaping around the exterior unit. Keep bushes, trees and weeds away from the system to ensure proper air circulation and maintain supreme efficiency.

 

4. Consult an expert to make sure your heat pump is the right size

The size of a unit is critical to its performance. A unit too small for the size of your home will work hard and overly stress its components as it struggles to maintain comfortable temperatures throughout the house. A heat pump sized correctly for your home will run in shorter, fast cycles, conserving energy by rarely tapping into emergency heat mode, which can be expensive on your electric bills. 

Call Plumbers 911 Vermont and be referred to a contractor who specializes in heat pumps. Schedule an appointment and have them come out to your home and determine if the size of your heat pump is appropriate to the surface area of your home. If they determine your current heat pump is too small, you may need to consider an upgrade, which would result in greater energy savings and a longer lasting heat pump in the long run. 

 

5. Install a smart thermostat

To take advantage of the energy savings of a heat pump, you need to be able to adjust temperatures gradually. This prevents your emergency heat system from kicking on, which is expensive, as it will run up your electrical bill. You can keep temperatures moderate at night when you are sleeping or when the family is away. A smart thermostat will allow you to set the ideal temperature on your phone, and allow for incremental adjustments that do not overly stress the heat pump.

Call Plumbers 911 Vermont for a referral to a licensed contractor, who can send out a highly  technician to install your thermostat.

 

Call Plumbers 911 to inspect and repair your heat pump today!

Do you need someone to inspect or repair your heat pump? Call Plumbers 911 Vermont! We are an extensive network of plumbing contractors, who specialize in heat pumps. In most areas of Vermont, we can send a technician to your home for routine heat pump maintenance, repair or emergency service. All our service techs are trained to fix any heat pump issue. They have undergone extensive background checks and drug tests.

Call Plumbers 911 for a heat pump service tech today!