A heat pump provides an energy efficient way to heat your home in the winter and cool it down in the summer. It pulls from the ground or outside air temperature to heat or cool your home and can be an alternative to traditional furnaces and air conditioners. They are more commonly used in milder climates like the south, but according to energy.gov, if you heat your home with electricity, they can reduce the amount of energy you use for heating by about 30-40%.

Heat Pump Efficiency Tips

Heat pumps use electricity to move heat from a cool space to a warm space, allowing the cool space to get even cooler and the warm space to get warmer. Because a heat pump moves heat rather than actually generates heat itself, using one provides the same amount of heat or cooling as a traditional system at around a quarter of the cost.

Keep your heat pump efficiency at an optimal level by following these tips:

• Ensure your home is already as energy efficient as possible. Making sure that your home is already energy efficient involves a few things you can easily do on your own. For instance, seal off any cracks or gaps in the home that may be allowing outside air in, and check your insulation in the attic to make sure it’s up to code.
• Use a programmable thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat is key to lowering your monthly energy costs, especially when you have a heat pump. Just make sure you have a programmable thermostat that is designed to specifically work with a heat pump.
• Change the filter regularly. You air filter helps improve the indoor air quality in your home and when changed regularly, can help increase the life of your HVAC system. A clean filter will help your heat pump run as efficiently as possible.
• Keep the air flowing. Your heat pump needs proper air flow through the house to work efficiently. Never close off more than two vents in a room so air can be distributed evenly throughout the room. Also, make sure the outside unit is free from debris like grass and leaves for unobstructed air flow.
• Call a technician for issues. If your heat pump is making strange noises, running constantly, or no air flow is coming from the registers, it’s best to call an experienced technician for these types of issues.

Like any system, knowing how it operates can help you maximize its performance. Keep these heat pump efficiency tips in mind to ensure it continues to work properly and efficiently in both the hot and cold seasons.

Have questions about your heat pump? If you’re in the Cleveland area, give us a call at 216-663-6462.