The indoor heat pump unit is the one you see every day but it wouldn’t work nearly as well if the outdoor unit wasn’t working at its best as well. We’ve always said that heat pumps in Auckland operate at their peak when both indoor and outdoor units are working in perfect synchronicity, and this is why we pay attention to both when we service them. But in between heat pump services, the outdoor unit can be a little neglected because it is “out of sight, out of mind”. So, now that the sun is coming out and you’re getting out into the garden to clear away all that spring growth around the home, it is a good idea to remove the vegetation from around your outdoor unit as well.
Indoor and outdoor heat pump units are connected. They operate by moving air from one place to another. As you’d expect, it becomes very hard for heat pumps to keep the air flowing and working properly if one end of that outdoor-indoor channel is blocked. That’s why it’s so important to keep the area around your outdoor unit free of vegetarian and clear for the air to flow through. Over spring, when everything grows like wildfire, this vegetation can form quite a barrier between the unit and the air it needs. To make matters worse, some of it can find its way into the unit itself and become entangled in the working components. When this occurs, our services will be required but to reduce the chances of that happening, regular grass and weed clearing around the unit will help.
While we’re on the subject of keeping the outdoor unit free of impediments, it’s timely to remind you that items like bikes, outdoor play things, garden equipment e.g. hose reels, can also be real barriers to the optimal operation of your heat pump. Any blockages around the outdoor heat pump unit will make the heat pump work harder than it has to. This decreases the efficiency of your unit and, at the same time, increase your power bill. A few minutes clearing everything away from the unit will be worth it in the long run, so make sure you do it on a regular basis.
While you’re doing these good deeds around the outdoor heat pump unit, take a look for things like rust or mould on the inside or outside of the unit, or frayed wiring. If you observe anything like that, get in touch with us as it indicates a problem that needs our expert attention.
