Heat pumps are extraordinarily powerful systems that often surpass traditional HVAC systems in efficiency. However, various things can affect this critical attribute, and homeowners in Spring Hill, FL can even influence some of these things with their own behavior. Here are five factors that, for good or ill, can impact your heat pump’s efficiency.
1. Maintenance
Over time, general use will wear down your heat pump and drag down its efficiency. To slow this process as much as possible, you will need to supply your system with professional-grade maintenance services at least once a year. If you’d like to maximize efficiency over time, it may be even better to schedule maintenance twice a year.
Without regular maintenance, virtually every aspect of your heat pump will decline. Falling efficiency will cause your utility bills to rise, possibly by a considerable amount. You can also expect that you’ll need to repair your heat pump more often and that its lifespan will be shorter.
2. Age
On average, an air-source heat pump should remain useful for about 15 to 20 years, sometimes longer. Various factors may conspire to lengthen or shorten your heat pump’s lifespan, including how quickly you provide it with necessary maintenance and repairs. However, one general rule about age always holds: The older your system is, the more likely its efficiency is to be at a subpar level.
Since this is the case, consider replacing your heat pump once it ages past the point of its average lifespan. Even if the system isn’t displaying any overt signs of dysfunction, it may still be a good idea to do this.
3. Size
Any failure to properly match the size and power of your heat pump to the size of your home may cause you enormous grief, especially in the long run. If your system is too small for your home, it will struggle to keep it at the temperature that you desire and will overwork itself in its attempts to do so. Consequently, your utility bills will rise, and your system will endure a great deal of damaging and unnecessary stress.
On the other hand, if your heat pump is too large for your home, it will almost certainly do its work unevenly. Although it will be able to heat or cool your home quickly, it will leave you with hot or cold spots that will ruin your ability to stay comfortable, and typically doesn’t run long enough to dehumidify properly. Also, an excessively large heat pump will end up short cycling, which can be disruptive and damaging.
4. Thermostats
Modern smart thermostats have precise sensors and control systems, allowing them to take careful readings and turn off your heat pump at the exact moment when indoor temperatures reach the ideal level that you’ve specified. They also have a special feature called recovery mode, which will subtly spring your heat pump into action in advance and give you an ideal climate with the smallest possible expenditure of energy. These things all contribute to making your heat pump more efficient.
The spot where you choose to place your thermostat can also greatly impact efficiency. If you leave it in a hotter-than-normal or colder-than-normal area of your house, it will take inaccurate readings and give your heat pump inappropriate commands. You should buy a programmable thermostat and install it in a climatically neutral area such as an interior wall that’s away from doors, windows and air vents.
5. Filters
Airflow has an enormous impact on your heat pump’s efficiency, and your filters can decisively influence it. Specifically, dirty filters can obstruct airflow. Therefore, be sure to change your heat pump’s filters at least once every 90 days.
All homeowners in Spring Hill, FL ought to strive to make their heat pumps as efficient as possible. For help doing that, call Senica Air Conditioning, Inc. and ask for our AC or heating services today.
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