Have you been using your heat pump for so long that you can’t remember when it was installed? Perhaps it’s time to get a new heat pump installation in your Auckland home. But when is the time to start looking at getting a new heat pump?
What Affects The Lifespan Of A Heat Pump?
As you know, nothing lasts forever. Even though your heat pump is maintained regularly, the time will come when you’ll need it replaced. However, what could affect its lifespan? The answer to that is the following:
- Not maintaining your heat pump system regularly
- Not cleaning out the air filters
- Dirty coils
- The fins on the condenser unit are dirty
- Environmental failures
- Plantlife that is growing too close to the external unit
Most of these factors are those that you can control. The most significant thing that affects the lifespan of your heat pump is how regularly you get it inspected, maintained and repaired. It should be done every three months, and many technicians recommend that the best time is after each season has ended.
Some environmental factors can be controlled too. For example, if you have a buildup of ice on the coils inside the internal unit, it can reduce your heat pump’s ability to provide heat. Fortunately, most heat pumps now come with a defrost function so that you can solve this problem yourself.
How Do I Know If My Heat Pump Should Be Replaced?
Even if you maintain your heat pump as often as your installation team recommends, at some point, you’ll need to replace it. When your heat pump is getting on in years and isn’t working as well as it should, you should get it inspected. It could be something fixable, or something which could cause further damage if you ignored it. However, common signs that you need a new heat pump installation include:
- Faulty switches that turn the unit on and off at odd times
- A weak or inconsistent airflow
- Uncommon sounds or smells coming from the unit
- An uncommonly high spike in your energy usage
- Erratic temperatures
- It struggles to start running after you’ve turned the unit on
If you’re lucky, your heat pump might need to be repaired. However, if you’ve had it for many years and it has started to malfunction, regardless of how often you service heat pump, you may need to book a new heat pump installation for your Auckland home.