Maintenance and Cleaning of Your Mini-Split Heat Pumps:  What You Should Know

Regular heat pump cleaning and maintenance are as crucial as getting your oil changed in your car or getting your teeth cleaned.

During Winter

• During the winter months, cleaning and maintaining your heat pump will keep you warmer and protect your heat pump from damage. After any significant snowfall, you should make a quick check of the outdoor unit to ensure there’s no snow blocking or clogging the unit. Taking a few minutes to clear away any accumulated snow will help ensure that your heat pump functions as efficiently as possible. If you notice ice building up on your heat pump, the best way to deal with it is to melt the ice by pouring warm water over it.
• Each heat pump has a Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF). HSPF is the rating used to measure how well a heat pump performs in heating mode. The higher the score, the more efficiently the heat pump works. That’s why we encourage you to take stock of your heat pump’s temperature readings during the winter months so that you can plan your backup heating accordingly when a storm is coming.
• Heat pumps extract the warmth from the air and move it into your home, and when the temperature drops below -27°C, they may not be able to transfer heat as efficiently. During extreme weather events, you may need a backup source of heat. Your backup will likely be electric or oil baseboard heating. Since the mini-split heat pump doesn’t require ductwork, many homeowners already have electric or oil baseboard heat in place.

Spring Cleaning

• Cleaning the Outdoor Unit

Airflow is crucial for a heat pump. If your outdoor unit is struggling to take in air, it will need to work harder to keep your home comfortable and will significantly reduce the efficiency.

After a long, messy winter, the outdoor component of your mini-split will likely need a little bit of TLC. Start by clearing away any debris accumulated on or around the unit. It’s not unusual to find twigs, dry leaves, and grass clippings crowded around the unit or jammed in the grill.

Once you’ve cleared away and disposed of larger debris, put some mild detergent and warm water in a bucket. Use a damp cloth to clean the outside of the housing. You can use a soft brush to clean the grill—try to make sure you clean out as much of the dust in there as possible.

• Cleaning the Indoor Unit

Like the outdoor unit, making sure the indoor unit has clear airflow is very important to the heat pump’s operating efficiency. Start by opening the unit and removing and cleaning the air filters. You can wash them with soap and water, but make sure they’re well rinsed and totally dry before you reinsert them. A dirty system with dirty air filters can cause strain on your system, decrease your heat pump’s efficiency and increase your energy bills, shorten the life of your system and create additional wear and tear.

• Heat Pump Interior

While the filters are removed, clean any interior parts of the heat pump that you’re able to access easily. Wipe away any dust or pet hair you find in the unit—there will often be a lot of dirt around the edges of where the filters connect to the unit.

Finally, reinsert the filters and close the unit. Once it’s sealed back up, wipe the unit down with a damp cloth, then dry it. Once this is all completed, you can reconnect the power and turn the unit back on.

Annual Maintenance

In addition to general cleaning, you should have your heat pump serviced by a professional at least once per year. Regular maintenance will help extend the life of your investment and ensure that your heat pump is operating at peak efficiency.

You want to stay on top of things to prolong the life of your precious assets. Paying for pointless repairs isn’t part of your to-do list.

Regular maintenance will help extend the life of your investment and ensure that your heat pump is operating at peak efficiency. We service most other major brands of heat pump, including: Daikin, Trane, Lennox, Carrier, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi, York, LG, Airease and more.

Extend the life of your heat pump with regular care and cleaning, download our guide. 

If you are located in Halifax or Cape Breton and your ductless heat pump is ready for its cleaning maintenance, please contact us at ATL-REFAC and we will be happy to assist you.  We sell, service and install heat pumps in greater Halifax as well as Cape Breton. Check out the details of our heat pump maintenance service packages here and book now!