Your heat pump has been working hard all winter to keep you warm. Asking it to suddenly switch gears and run at full speed without receiving maintenance is like asking a runner to finish a marathon without any water. Scheduling service ensures that your system maintains your comfort when the heat is at its hottest.

Cleaning the Outdoor Coils for Better Airflow

The outdoor unit of your heat pump releases all the heat it gathered from inside your home out into the neighborhood air. Over the spring months, the unit can get choked with dandelion seeds, thick layers of dust, and even dried grass clippings from when you mowed the yard. When the coils are buried under a layer of dirt, the heat cannot escape efficiently. This forces the compressor to run much longer and hotter than it was ever meant to. A tech will make sure the coils are clean so that air flows freely.

Checking Refrigerant Levels and Tiny Leaks

The refrigerant inside your heat pump is the fluid that carries the heat away. However, if the level is even slightly off, the entire cooling process will start to fail. You might notice that the air coming from your vents feels lukewarm. Because the summer heat puts so much pressure on the copper lines, a small weakness can quickly turn into a major break that leaves you without any cooling at all. Catching these leaks early prevents the motor from burning out.

Testing the Electrical Parts and Capacitors

Inside the control panel of your heat pump are several small electrical parts called capacitors that function as tiny batteries to help the big motors start spinning. These parts are very sensitive to high temperatures. If your system is making a loud humming sound but the fan is not moving, you are probably dealing with an electrical failure that could have been spotted during a routine spring inspection. Most technicians can test these parts in just a few minutes and replace a weak one before it leaves you stranded in a sweltering house.

Clearing the Condensate Drain Line

Your heat pump also pulls gallons of water out of your indoor air to reduce the humidity in your home. This water flows into a small plastic drain line that can easily become clogged with algae or a thick, jelly-like slime during the humid summer months. If that pipe gets blocked, the water will back up and overflow. This can ruin your drywall or even cause your system to shut down completely to prevent a flood. A tech will make sure this line is clear during an inspection.

You may feel like maintenance is not worth the money, especially if your system is running fine. Scheduling that service call can actually keep expensive problems at bay.

For professional heat pump services in Lethbridge, Alberta, connect with Charlton & Hill today