Heating Maintenance - Heat Pumps

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  • Author Jirran Will
  • Published May 13, 2011
  • Word count 535

Heat pumps are nowadays the most efficient heating systems since they warms a house in winter as well as cools it during summer. This is one main reason why people generally installing them at home and workplace. It is easy to operate and effective in doing its work. It uses electricity as its power source. It is known for its energy-efficient operation. Just by a mere flip of a switch homeowners can reverse the role of a heat pump from being used for warming to cooling. It can be installed in all types of building and hence is regarded one of the most sought home heating systems.

However, for a long-term proper functioning system, you should perform regular maintenance of your heat pump. Therefore, you should either do the maintenance by yourself or with the help of professionals. Maintenance of this system is not that complicated and can be done with ease if you have the basic knowledge of the same. Here are some basic heating maintenance tips which will help you keep the system fit as a fiddle at all times.

Heating systems consists mainly of two units, outdoor unit and the indoor unit. You can maintain these units separately. Accordingly, here are the maintenance steps.

Outdoor Unit

Before performing this heating service, make sure that you turn the mains off and that the main wire is unplugged. This is for you safety while the task is being carried out. First, remove any type of blockage in the form of weeds, papers or leaves from in and around of the outdoor unit. Remove the casing and clean the fins using fin combs or brush making sure that no fin is damaged in the process. Now, check the coil, if dirt and grime are accumulated on it, clean it using the brush. If that doesn't help, use cleansing agent and clean it and allow it to dry.

To proceed, check the heat exchange fan for any looseness in the blades or fan axle and fix it. Lubricate the fan axle or the motor in order to limit noise. If is however suggested that you should replace the fan blades if they are found bent. Bent fan blades are hard to correct and affects the operation of the heat pump.

Indoor Unit

To detect defects in the system, regular heating troubleshooting is needed. Even smallest of small problems should not be ignored since small problems can accumulate and give rise to a bigger problem.

Maintenance of indoor unit of a heat pump mainly consist of cleaning the air filters. To do this, you should have to remove the panel of the indoor unit. Make sure you properly unscrew all screws and place them somewhere you will not lose them. Behind the panel, you will come across two filters the first one is of mesh type and the other is a smaller with fine pores. Remove both the filters check for any accumulation of dirt and grime and clean it using an appropriate cleansing agent (diluted vinegar is recommended). Dry them and replace them. Reinstall the panels and your filter cleaning is done.

Perform the above maintenance steps for perfectly functioning heat pumps or home heating systems.

Jirran Will is a consultant, sustainable investor and writer and graduated from Cambridge University London,UK.He is also the author of numerous articles on Heating Services

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