Heating
Heating Maintenance in Colorado Springs, CO

A heat pump is one of the best HVAC options for homeowners who are looking for an energy-efficient solution to keep their home comfortable throughout the year. Unfortunately, from time to time, the Colorado Springs community can experience extreme temperature shifts. During these periods, it can be helpful to implement the tips below to better optimize the operating efficiency of your heat pump to keep your energy bills in check and your comfort level high.

Routine Maintenance

Before we dive into more specific ways of optimizing HVAC performance during extreme weather conditions, we need to start with a discussion of properly preparing your system in general. One of the most important things you can do to extend the longevity of your heat pump and ensure it operates as efficiently as possible is to get professional heating maintenance service.

We recommend servicing in the early spring and in the fall to prepare your system for the upcoming seasons. This will detect problems while they’re small and easy to fix, greatly reducing your chance of experiencing a major system breakdown. They’re also necessary to maintain the warranty coverage on your unit so that you’re not paying out of pocket for unexpected repair bills.

Homeowner Maintenance

While professional maintenance services are great for ensuring safe and efficient operation of your heat pump, it’s important to perform regular maintenance as a homeowner to keep your system in good working condition throughout the year. One of the most important things you need to do is keep up with regular filter changes.

We highly recommend checking the air filter for your system at least once a month and always having a spare filter ready to go whenever a replacement is necessary. Additionally, it’s necessary to check all of your air vents at the beginning of summer and winter to ensure there are no obstructions that could block airflow in or out of the vent.

Aim to clean up the space around your outdoor condenser unit every couple of months to ensure optimal airflow around the unit for maximum system operating efficiency. Also, be sure to program your thermostat before the summer and winter weather hits, so you can best optimize your heat pump’s energy usage.

Set Reasonable Temperature Expectations

One of the basic things to keep in mind when dealing with extreme weather conditions is that you don’t want to set unreasonable temperatures on your thermostat. Setting the temperature much higher in the wintertime won’t allow your home to heat up any faster. The same holds true for the summertime when it comes to cooling your home. Instead, aim for reasonable temperatures around 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and 75 degrees in the summer.

Choose the Right Heat Pump for Your Climate

One factor that influences the operating efficiency of your heat pump is the type of heat pump that you have. It’s important to know that there are two main styles of heat pumps, which are standard and cold climates. Standard heat pumps work efficiently down to temperatures around 25 to 30 degrees before they will start to struggle to heat your home.

Many homeowners who have a standard heat pump typically have a backup heating system, like a furnace, that supplies supplemental heat during the colder winter conditions. In recent years, newer cold-climate heat pumps are transforming the HVAC industry. These cold-weather units operate more efficiently at colder temperatures.

In fact, many of these units will work efficiently down to minus 20 degrees. Because the temperature can drop below freezing consistently in Colorado Springs, it only makes sense to invest in a cold-weather heat pump that’s specifically designed to still operate efficiently at those colder temperatures. This will eliminate the need for a supplemental heating system, like a furnace.

Use Ceiling Fans

One really great way to enhance your comfort during extreme temperature conditions is a ceiling fan. During the summer, you can have your ceiling fan spinning in a counterclockwise direction so that it’s forcing a nice breeze down onto your body. This will help cool down the body naturally by wicking away sweat.

During the winter months, opt for having your fan spin in a clockwise direction so that it’s forcing the hot air stuck at your ceiling outward and back down to your floor. By recirculating the hot air your heating system already produced, you can reduce your reliance on your heating system. Ceiling fans can allow you to set your thermostat temperature higher during the summer and lower during the winter while still remaining comfortable in your home.

Seal Up Air Leaks and Insulate

Heat transfer between the inside of your home and the outdoors has a big impact on the overall operating efficiency of your heat pump. A home that is well-insulated and doesn’t have any air leaks will retain a steadier indoor temperature than a home that is under-insulated and has a variety of drafts on its exterior walls.

One of the best ways to boost the performance of your heat pump is to help it better maintain an adequate temperature in your home throughout the seasons. You can do this by locating air leaks on your exterior walls and sealing them up. Air leaks are most prominent around door frames, window frames, light switches, and receptacles.

Additionally, ensure that your home’s insulation has at least the bare minimum R-value recommended in building codes for your area. Aim to check your insulation at the beginning of each season. You can do this by climbing up to the attic and looking for any spots where insulation is missing or the insulation sits below the floor level. Appropriate insulation will sit just above the floor level and fill in all the space in your attic.

Use a Smart Thermostat

One of the biggest secrets to optimizing heat pump performance during extreme weather conditions is using a smart thermostat. Most people are familiar with smart thermostats being programmable to better optimize energy usage. However, they’re typically much more than that. One key feature of smart thermostats that can make a world of difference in your heat pump’s efficiency is adaptive recovery.

Adaptive recovery works based on your pre-programmed settings for different times of the day. However, instead of turning on and running at full blast to get your home to your desired temperature as quickly as possible, adaptive recovery will effortlessly calculate how long it will take your system to reach your desired pre-programmed temperature setting based on things like your system’s previous performance and outdoor weather conditions. This helps prevent overworking your system and ensures that it always reaches your desired temperature at the exact time you have set.

Expert Heat Pump Maintenance Service

Alphalete Plumbing Drain Heating & Air offers expert heating installation, repair, and maintenance service for the Colorado Springs community. We can also assist with all your heat pump needs.

Call us today to book your next service appointment with one of our helpful HVAC technicians.

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