Regular preventive maintenance is the single best way to ensure your home HVAC system is up to the task of keeping you comfortable whatever the season. If you’re like most homeowners and have separate central heating and cooling systems, you should schedule maintenance with a professional HVAC company twice a year. In other words, you need an AC tune-up for the cooling season and a furnace tune-up for the heating season.
You might be thinking: That makes sense – two separate systems, two separate tune-ups. But what about a heat pump? It’s one system, so do I need to schedule preventive maintenance only once a year?
Even though a heat pump is a single system, it requires the same maintenance schedule as separate heating and cooling systems.
Why Your Heat Pump Needs a Tune-up Twice a Year
A heat pump does double duty, working throughout the heating and cooling seasons. This means it’s subject to twice the wear-and-tear of separate HVAC systems and needs preventive maintenance twice yearly. Another important point is that a heat pump uses a refrigerant to both heat and cool your home. If the refrigerant level is low, the system won’t be able to heat or cool adequately, if at all.
What Happens During a Heat Pump Tune-up?
A certified HVAC technician thoroughly inspects and tests the entire system, checking for worn parts, loose or frayed wires, and anything else that could prevent the heat pump from operating efficiently and effectively. He or she will also clean the various components, lubricate moving parts, tighten any loose parts, and check the refrigerant level.
The Benefits of Keeping Up with Routine Heat Pump Maintenance
Like with any piece of HVAC equipment, the better your heat pump is cared for, the better it will serve you. Biannual preventive maintenance:
- Reduces the risk of expensive emergency service calls and repairs
- Safeguards against the inconvenience and cost of avoidable breakdowns
- Ensures your heat pump is operating efficiently, which lowers electric bills
- Maximizes the system’s lifespan for a better return on your investment
A preventive maintenance plan, which some heating and cooling companies offer, can provide you with even more benefits and savings. Check out the Comfort Club, the preventive maintenance plan from Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling that includes extra benefits like discounts on repairs and enhanced warranties.
Comfort Zone, in Canton, Georgia, serves Atlanta and North Georgia – from Acworth and Alpharetta to Waleska and Woodstock.
