Heat Pump Maintenance Checklist: The Complete Guide

Heat pumps need regular maintenance to ensure they consistently work properly. Many heat pump maintenance tasks are dependent on the manufacturer’s instructions. However, there are also general, proper maintenance procedures that all facilities must follow to keep their heat pump systems running smoothly and to prevent common air conditioning challenges.

While there is a lot that you can do on your own, leveraging planned maintenance routines with an HVAC professional is a surefire way to verify that all the maintenance required is done correctly.

Understanding Heat Pump Maintenance

By understanding the basic functionality of heat pumps, facility managers can better appreciate the significance of a good maintenance strategy and optimal system performance. Here’s what you need to know about how a heat pump works.

How Heat Pumps Work

In simple terms, heat pumps transfer heat from one place to another. During colder months, they pull heat from the outside air or ground and move it inside to warm the building. In warmer months, they reverse this process, removing heat from the building’s interior to cool it down.

Ensuring that your heat pumps are working properly is critical to your entire HVAC system. You wouldn’t neglect boiler maintenance, so you must pay attention to heat pump maintenance too.

Where they are located depends on the type of heat pump you have. You can usually find them outside the building for air-source types or underground for ground-source types.

Types of Heat Pump Systems

Heat pump systems come in various types. Here’s a look at the main types of heat pump systems available.

• Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) extract heat from the outside air to heat the home during winter and reverse the process to cool it in summer.
• Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs), known as geothermal heat pumps, leverage the earth’s stable temperature to heat and cool buildings.
• Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pumps are ideal for buildings without ductwork. They also allow temperature control in specific areas, making them great for retrofitting older buildings or extending heating and cooling to new additions.

Benefits of Regular Heat Pump Maintenance

Planning and ensuring that taking care of each heat pump is part of your overall HVAC maintenance checklist is important. Here are some of the reasons why:

Increased Energy Efficiency

Regular preventative maintenance can lead to noticeable energy savings. Wear, tear, and buildup will reduce efficiency and cause a heat pump to consume more energy than it would have with the right maintenance strategy. You save money and bolster your facility’s reputation when you save energy.

Extended Equipment Lifespan

Well-maintained heat pumps are less prone to breakdowns and can have a longer operational life. As a result, your facility will save money on premature replacement costs. Most heat pumps have a life expectancy of around 15 years, but lack of maintenance can decrease that time quickly.

Reduced Risk of Breakdowns

A well-maintained system is less likely to fail, reducing the need for costly emergency repairs. As a result, you can save money and resources and ensure a consistently comfortable environment for all building occupants.

Improved Air Quality

Consistent maintenance helps keep the air clean and free of allergens, dust mites, and other harmful particles. Depending on the nature of your facility, clean air may be critical. Healthcare and food service facilities must keep harmful airborne particles to a minimum.

Heat Pump Maintenance Checklist

Clean Outdoor Unit

It’s important to clean your indoor unit, too. However, an outdoor unit is more likely to get dirtier faster. Regularly inspect all units and ensure they are free of debris, dirt, foliage, wildlife, or any other obstructions.

Inspect Air Filters

Replace air filters or clean reusable ones to maintain good indoor air quality and system efficiency. If your air filter is clogged, your heat pump will work harder than needed. The result of that extra work is wasted energy and additional wear. Following the right air filter maintenance checklist also helps in this regard.

Clean Coils

Clear away foliage, debris, and any blockages around the outdoor and indoor coil systems to maintain adequate airflow and system efficiency. Gummed-up coils will impact your system’s heating and cooling abilities. You will likely need to clean outdoor coils more frequently due to their exposure to the elements.

Examine the Thermostat Settings

Ensure your programmable thermostat is set correctly for the season and adjust as needed. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a cold building in the winter and a hot building in the summer.

Check Ductwork for Leaks

Inspect ducts for leaks and ensure proper airflow throughout the system. Duct leakage can lead to inefficient system operation and increased energy costs. Sealing leaks and verifying that air flows correctly reduces unnecessary strain.

Monitor Refrigerant Levels

Ensure the refrigerant levels are adequate, and adjust the charge if necessary. Refrigerant leaks impact the heat pump’s ability to heat or cool the space properly. The system cannot effectively transfer heat when the refrigerant level is not within the manufacturer’s specified range.

Lubricate Moving Parts

Lubricate mechanical components such as the blower motor and heat pump fan motor to reduce friction and wear. Lubricating moving parts also helps decrease noise and vibration from the system, which is good for longevity and occupant comfort.

Check Electrical Connections

Tighten the system’s electrical connections to ensure safe and efficient operation. When you tighten connections, you reduce the risk of power surges and extend the lifespan of electrical components.

Examine Condensate Drain

Ensure the condensate drain is clear of debris. Regularly cleaning the drain ensures proper drainage and prevents potential water damage. Excess water can also pose a fire risk if electric terminals are nearby.

Test the Heat Pump

Test the heating and cooling modes to ensure they function properly. Check for correct airflow and that the cooling mode is actually cool, and vice versa.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Heat Pump Maintenance

Skipping Regular Maintenance

Neglecting preventative maintenance can lead to decreased performance and increased costs. Proper preventive maintenance scheduling helps reduce the risk of missing needed maintenance.

Ignoring Odd Sounds

Unusual sounds from the heat pump can indicate underlying issues you should not ignore. For example, squealing or grinding noises may indicate that your fan motors are failing.

Neglecting Thermostat Calibration

Incorrect thermostat settings can lead to inefficient heating or cooling. For instance, you may have too much cool air in your facility during the winter, which is uncomfortable for everyone in the building. Regularly calibrate and update thermostat settings for accurate temperature control.

Skipping Filter Changes

Dirty filters restrict airflow, reducing efficiency and causing strain on the system. Regularly changing or cleaning each air filter when necessary is essential.

Not Testing Heating and Cooling Modes

Issues may be masked when only one mode is tested. Ensure both heating and cooling modes are functioning correctly.

Proactive Heat Pump Maintenance with ServiceChannel

Upholding your maintenance schedule is critical to ensuring your system operates at its best. Yet, it can be easy to miss scheduled maintenance work when you’re busy running your facility.

ServiceChannel’s preventative maintenance software lets you set service reminders to ensure your entire air conditioning system gets serviced proactively. As a manager, you can verify that your technicians do their required work. Don’t let a single leaking gutter or noisy indoor unit go unnoticed, and maintain your heat pumps.