How often do you schedule a maintenance visit for the heat pump in your Indianapolis home? Taking proper care of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is the best way to ensure it will function efficiently and reach its full service life potential.

Plus, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your heat pump is in top shape with no signs of trouble. After all, nobody wants to experience a system breakdown.

Godby Heating Plumbing Electrical understands how important it is for your heat pump to operate at its greatest capacity. You depend on your system for comfort, and it’s our mission to help you achieve this. So whether you need to keep warm or cool down, we are here to help.

A heat pump offers both the heating and cooling you need for optimal indoor comfort, but keeping up with routine maintenance is critical for it to remain in peak condition. Let us walk you through some basic heat pump maintenance tips to ensure maximum efficiency. 

1. Change or Clean Your Air Filter
   Like many other types of HVAC systems, heat pumps have an air filter that needs to be replaced every one to three months. Air filters are designed to catch particles so you don’t end up breathing them in.
   
   Your air filter prevents a significant amount of dust, dirt, pet dander, bacteria, and viruses from circulating in the air throughout your home, ultimately improving your indoor air quality (IAQ). If you don’t replace or wash a reusable filter, you’ll expose yourself to the buildup of debris and contaminants. This can aggravate symptoms of conditions like asthma, allergies, and upper respiratory issues, so if you struggle with any of these, be sure to change your filter regularly.
   
   How do you rate a filter? Look at the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating. Filters with high MERV ratings are capable of trapping even the smallest of particles—just be sure the filter with the MERV rating you choose is compatible with your heat pump or you may restrict airflow.
   
   
2. Clean Your Heat Pump and Surrounding Area Carefully
   Keep the area where your outdoor unit is located as clear as possible. Mow the surrounding grass and trim any hedges, shrubs, or other plants that are nearby. Ideally, your heat pump should have a clearance of at least a couple of feet on each side for efficient airflow.
   
   Remove dirt, leaves, branches, and other debris from the top and sides of your system. Otherwise, you risk damage to your heat pump. When the weather is warm, you can carefully wash it with a garden hose on a mild setting.
   
   During the winter, clear off any buildup of ice and snow. You can safely defrost the ice and snow by first turning off the power of your unit, waiting for it to completely shut off, and then pouring warm water over it. Once it is carefully melted and removed, you can turn the unit back on.
   
   
3. Stay on Top of Problems and Schedule Safety Inspections
   Flush the indoor condensate pan and drain in the spring before using the air conditioning. This is extremely important if the unit is above or in a finished living area, but should really be done by a trained service technician.
   While you can perform some maintenance tasks on your own, there’s no greater peace of mind than knowing a heating and cooling professional has evaluated your heat pump. Be sure to keep up with regular safety and inspection checks so any issues can be discovered early on.
   Having a team of professionals inspect your HVAC system is great, but if an issue is discovered, it’s important to have it addressed soon. Don’t delay important repairs. Take care of minor problems too—otherwise, they may become major and expensive.
   
   
4. Opt for Professional Maintenance Annually
   Doing your part to maintain your heat pump is critical so it can remain in good condition, but you can also leave it to our experts to perform maintenance—big or small, we handle it all. You should be scheduling a professional heat pump maintenance visit at least once a year anyway.
   
   With professional maintenance, you’ll be able to remain in compliance with your warranty, reduce the risk of a complete system breakdown, and improve the overall efficiency of your system. In fact, you could save up to 30 percent on your energy bill when you perform maintenance services that support ideal system efficiency, according to the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA).

What Happens During a Professional Maintenance Visit?

During a routine professional maintenance visit with our professionals, you can expect us to:

• Inspect your air ducts and seal any air leaks or tears.
• Evaluate refrigerant levels and address any leaks.
• Check your thermostat and ensure it is functioning properly.
• Clean indoor and outdoor components to support smooth operation.
• Assess all components to be sure there are no current or potential issues that need to be addressed.

When it comes to heat pump maintenance, our professionals are here to help. We want your system to remain in top shape for many years to come, so if you’re ever unsure about how to properly maintain your heat pump on your own or would prefer to leave it to our experts, just give us a call.

We also offer an exceptional maintenance plan to help ensure you never miss a service that will encourage your system to operate as efficiently as possible. Be sure to speak with our experts to learn more and become a member today!

Contact Our Professionals for Heat Pump Maintenance Today

Our Godby Heating Plumbing Electrical professionals have been providing critical maintenance services for homeowners in the Indianapolis, IN, area for several years. Place your trust in us—we are here to address your heat pump concerns. Call 317-471-8700 or request service online today.

One reason Indiana homeowners love heat pumps is they function as an all-in-one unit. Instead of purchasing and maintaining a separate furnace and air conditioning system, you can simply transition your heat pump from the heat setting to the cooling setting and vice versa as seasons warrant.

Our Godby Heating Plumbing Electrical team wants you to understand how to make this transition safely and effectively.

How a Heat Pump Works

Instead of generating heat by burning a fuel like natural gas, a heat pump simply moves the heat from one location to another. Essentially, it operates just like an air conditioner but has the capability to perform the action in both directions.

Air conditioners do not create cooled air. Instead, a constantly moving refrigerant absorbs heat from inside your home, pumps it to the outdoor unit, and releases the heat outside. The result is a lower indoor temperature. A heat pump can work as an air conditioner in the summer.

During the winter, the heat pump takes heat from the outside air, which is possible even in cold outdoor temperatures, and releases that heat inside your home to warm your Indianapolis living space.

According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), a heat pump can reduce your electricity by up to 50 percent over conventional furnace systems, saving you in energy costs.

Homeowner Maintenance To-Do List

As a homeowner, the transition seasons of spring and fall are the perfect times to conduct some basic heat pump maintenance. These simple steps will help ensure your system is ready for the upcoming season.

First, replace your air filter. Most filters should be replaced every three to six months. This can help improve your heat pump’s efficiency and operation as well as your home’s indoor air quality. Then, take a look at the outside unit and be sure you cut down and remove weeds or other growth within two or three feet, so your heat pump has plenty of air circulation.

It’s a good idea to clean your coils before winter arrives, because the cold weather makes it much harder. Also, flush and clean out your drain line and prime the trap if needed. If your heat pump uses electric heat, look for any wire damage or discoloration.

Finally, check your thermostat settings and adjust them for winter weather.

Professional Maintenance To-Do List

If you’ve completed your homeowner checklist for transitioning your heat pump, it’s time to call in our professionals for a biannual check. Our heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) team will provide a complete inspection, cleaning, and tune-up at an affordable price that will ultimately save you stress, time, and money on repairs later in the season.

A professional should check and adjust refrigerant levels in your heat pump. Only a professional can add coolant and repair leaks correctly.

If you noticed any potential electrical problems, a trained technician can repair exposed wiring or loose connections. Your blower motor should be oiled, and its wheels should be inspected for balance. Finally, your evaporator coils should be checked and cleaned during this visit.

Protect Your Heat Pump During Shoulder Seasons

When nights tend to be cold and days warmer during spring and autumn, it can get tricky to use your heat pump effectively. In some cases, switching between the heating and air conditioning modes can lead to an overworked system and related problems.

Your heat pump uses a great deal of energy to turn on and off, and switching constantly between heating and cooling can result in short-cycling types of issues like tripping the circuit breaker.

If your heat pump is in air conditioner mode, and your thermostat is set to cooling, your outdoor condensing unit will be working. If the set-point temperature is set higher to turn off the cooling function and then moved lower due to a need for heat, it can lock up the compressor. The same problem can occur in heating mode as well.

Some heat pumps incorporate a digital thermostat or an anti-short-cycling trigger to prevent this problem. However, you can also be sure you give your system a five-minute break if you’re switching between cooling and heating frequently during the shoulder seasons.

Call Us With Any Heat Pump Needs

When you’re ready for your professional maintenance service call on your heat pump, contact Godby Heating Plumbing Electrical in Indianapolis, IN, to schedule an appointment. We’d be happy to come out to perform a comprehensive inspection, cleaning, and tune-up. Or if you find you need a repair or replacement, we will help you there as well. Call 317-471-8700 or request service online today.

If you are in the market for a new heat pump, efficiency is probably a key factor in your search. The Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has a universal ranking system for heating and cooling units that serves to help. 

Deciphering and Decoding

You might have seen assorted abbreviations like HSPF or SEER, but what do they actually mean? Well, here is a guide to determining heat pump efficiency.

What Is HSPF?

HSPF stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. This rating represents the amount of heat units produced (BTUs––British Thermal Units) by the total amount of electricity (watt-hours) used over the course of a season. Generally speaking, the higher a heat pump’s HSPF, the more efficient it is. 

The US ENERGY STAR^® program has set a minimum HSPF of 8 for single-package equipment, which is a traditional heating and cooling unit. For mini split configurations, also known as ductless systems, the minimum HSPF is 8.2.

What Is SEER?

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating. It is essentially the equivalent of HSPF but for cooling. A system’s SEER rating is determined by the amount of cooling power (BTUs) divided by the amount of energy (watt-hours) used within one season. 

A higher SEER means a more efficient heat pump. The minimum ENERGY STAR-qualifying SEER is 14 for single-package equipment and 14.5 for mini split systems.

Which Heat Pump Should I Get?

Generally speaking, if you live in a cooler climate, HSPF should have more weight in your decision than SEER, since you will likely be running the system on this setting more frequently. You should favor SEER for the same reason in hotter climates.

However, it is important to note both of these rating systems refer to a heat pump operating under optimal conditions. If a heat pump is not the right size for your Avon home, you can run into all sorts of problems. 

An oversized unit may short cycle, potentially increasing your energy bill a very significant amount. An undersized unit will run for too long, which means its components may be overworked, and it may use more electricity than expected.

The best way to get the most efficient heat pump is to schedule an in-home consultation with one of our Godby Heating Plumbing Electrical professionals. We will perform the necessary heat-load calculations to determine which heat pumps will perform ideally in your Indiana space. Out of these options, you can choose the best one to meet your efficiency standards.

Contact Us for All Your Heat Pump Needs

At Godby Heating Plumbing Electrical, we are pleased to install heat pumps in Avon, IN, and surrounding regions. Call us today at 317-471-8700 or request service online for any questions you have about about HSPF or SEER.