Do you remember when your heat pump installation in Auckland occurred? Heat pumps are one of the best ways to manage the temperatures in your home in any season, so they’re a great asset to have. However, how long do they last, and how do you know when it needs replacing? Find all the answers to your questions here.
What Affects Your Heat Pump’s Lifespan?
As you know, nothing lasts forever. Even if you maintain your heat pump consistently, it will still need to be replaced eventually. Your heat pump needs to be maintained, serviced and cleaned every year after installation. However, what affects its lifespan? Things that could affect how long your heat pump will last includes:
- Dirty fins on the outside of the condenser unit
- Dirty coils
- Plants that are growing too close to the heat pump outside
- Not performing regular maintenance
- Not cleaning out the air filters regularly
- Environmental failures
Almost all of those factors are things that you can control. As long as you maintain your heat pump, it will last.
However, environmental factors are outside of your control. For example, you could find ice buildup on the coils in the outdoor unit, reducing the pump’s ability to generate heat in winter. Fortunately, some units come with a defrost function, which would remove the ice or frost buildup.
How Do You Know When Your Heat Pump Needs To Be Replaced?
Even if you maintain your heat pump as often as the manufacturer and installation team recommends, you will still need to replace the unit at some point. When your heat pump has stopped working as well as it used to and cleaning the air filters hasn’t made a difference, you should get it inspected. It might just need repairs or replacement parts. Common signs that mean you need a new unit include:
- The unit switches itself off at random times
- It struggles to start running after you’ve switched it on
- The airflow is inconsistent with its temperature settings
- You’ve seen an uncommonly high spike in your energy bills
- A weakened airflow
- Uncommon smells or sounds coming from the unit
Conclusion
If you’re fortunate, your heat pump might just need a few minor repairs or an inexpensive replacement part to keep it going for another few years. In that case, you should start saving up to buy a new unit. However, if you’ve had the same heat pump in Auckland for up to ten years after installation, you might be better off getting the whole system replaced. You’ll have a working unit, lower energy bills, and a new warranty period.
