A heat-pump system can be one of the most efficient ways to heat and cool your home and you can get more efficiency from it as long as the parts are functioning properly. A heat pump uses refrigerant to both heat and cool your home and a blower to send the air through the ducts that connect all the conditioned spaces in your home.

Refrigerant

The level of your refrigerant should be within a few ounces of the manufacturer’s specifications. The refrigerant is either a liquid or a vapor and it can leak from the tubes through which it circulates, either through mechanical problems or small leaks that form over time. Refrigerant is a regulated substance and only licensed HVAC technicians can adjust the levels in your heat-pump system. Most manufacturers recommend annual maintenance for heat pumps, during which your refrigerant levels are checked and adjusted.

Airflow

The blower inside the air handler circulates the conditioned air through the system. Two factors directly impact the airflow. The first is the speed at which the blower fan runs and the second is the amount of dust on the evaporator coil. Ideally, the air should blow at the speed of 400 to 500 cubic feet per minute. If the blower sends the air at slower speeds, the heat-pump system’s efficiency will be compromised.

A dirty evaporator coil makes it harder for the air coming in contact with it to heat or cool. You can prevent this from happening by cleaning or changing your system’s air filter when it gets dirty, reducing the chances of dust build-up inside the air handler.

Ducts

When ducts leak, the conditioned air is lost to spaces where you don’t need it. If a room suddenly becomes too hot or cold, the first place to look should be the ducts. Kinked ducts also prevent heated or cooled air from reaching a space. An HVAC technician can pinpoint and repair duct problems, increasing efficiency.

Contact us at Powers Heating & Air in Peachtree City, Newnan, Fayette and Coweta Counties for help with all your heat-pump issues.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about heat-pump systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Powers Heating & Air serves Peachtree, GA and the surrounding areas.  Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!