If you have trouble getting to your heat pump because of wildly overgrowing bushes or vines, clear them out immediately. If you can’t get to the heat pump, you won’t be able to do regular filter changes -- and your heating and cooling efficiency will suffer. Also, if the vines or branches get too close to the fan they can get tangled around the blades and cause major damage.
Once you’ve got the area around the heat pump cleared, take a look at the filter. It will probably need to be cleaned or replaced. If you have a glass fiber based filter, change it out. Foam filters and plastic fiber filters can be vacuumed off and replaced. If you have an aluminum mesh filter, it needs to be washed off with soap and water and then recoated. Without a new layer of adhesive coating the filter won’t catch dirt and dust.
Finish off the outside portion of your heat pump maintenance by cleaning off the entire outside of the unit and the heat exchange coils. Turn off the electricity before attempting any cleaning of the unit to prevent accidental electrocution. Clean the fan blades, coils and outer casing of the unit and then apply a layer of car wax over it to prevent rusting. A rusted heat pump can fail much sooner than one with a good casing.
Turn your attention to the inside components of the unit after you’ve finished waxing. Vacuum out the air blower motor to keep airflow at a good level. The blower motor needs constant airflow to prevent it from overheating during use.
For more expert advice about heat pumps and other issues related to home comfort, please contact us at Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving the Route 495/128 area of Massachusetts for more than 80 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat pumps and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Solutions Guide.