With winter fast approaching, homeowners should use this opportunity to ensure that your heat pump is ready for the cool weather. Heat pumps aren’t used exclusively during the summer. While they feature many of the same parts as air conditioning systems, they offer both heating and cooling. You can use a heat pump to cool your home during the summer, and you can use it to warm your home during the winter. Here’s how to prepare your heat pump for the upcoming winter season.
Change the Air Filter
When was the last time you changed your heat pump’s air filter? If you’ve been using the same air filter for two months or longer, you may want to replace it before winter arrives.
Heat pumps rely on an air filter to remove contaminants from the air. As dirt and dust passes through your heat pump, it will land on the filter. Too much dirt and dust, though, will restrict the flow of air, resulting in poorer performance. Your heat pump may struggle to heat your home during the winter if the air filter is too dirty.
Check the Air Vents
You can prepare your heat pump for the upcoming winter season by checking the air vents. Go through your home while inspecting the air vents. All of the air vents should be open and unobstructed.
Closed or obstructed air vents can interfere with your heat pump’s ability to warm your home. The warm and conditioned air won’t be released out of supply vents if the vents are closed or obstructed. If a return vent is obstructed, conversely, your heat pump won’t be able to pull the indoor air to its heating components.
Test the Thermostat
Another tip to prepare your heat pump for the upcoming winter season is to test the thermostat. Switching the thermostat from cool to heat should activate your heat pump’s reversing valve. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to get the reversing valve fixed or replaced. Otherwise, you may not have heat this winter.
The reversing valve is the component that allows your heat pump to switch between heating and cooling. It changes the direction of the refrigerant based on the thermostat setting. To ensure the reversing valve is working properly, you should set the thermostat to heat. Setting it to heat should activate the reversing valve, thus changing the flow direction of the refrigerant so that your heat pump produces warm air.