The weather will be getting colder soon, despite the current heat. That means that you’re going to be switching your heat pump from cooling to heating pretty soon, without letting up on the amount of demand. Before the weather gets too cold, now would be a good time to evaluate your heat pump to see if it can get you through another winter. If not, you should probably replace it now rather than wait for the weather to get much colder. The longer you wait, the more problems you create for the system, up to and including a sudden breakdown. Have a look at some of the signs that it’s time to install a new heat pump.
Suspiciously High Monthly Bills
It can be difficult, at times, to tell if your monthly climate control bills are high because you are using the system a lot or because there is something wrong. If you do start to suspect that your monthly heat pump costs are substantially higher than they should be, you should call a professional to examine it. It could mean that your system needs replacing.
As a heat pump ages, it starts to wear down to the point where it begins to lose efficiency. As the efficiency loss becomes more pronounced, the heat pump is forced to operate for longer periods of time in order to keep up. This longer operating time may not be noticeable to you, but it will show up as higher monthly bills. If this is the cause of your heat pump costing more to operate, there’s not much to be done aside from installing a new one.
Constant Repairs
Does your heat pump need to be repaired multiple times a year? If so, that’s a big problem. You shouldn’t need to repair your heat pump more than a few times in its life. You certainly shouldn’t need to have it repaired every few months. If that’s what is happening, chances are the wear and tear on the system has become so great that the various parts of the system are beginning to fail from simple old age. You can install a new system, which is a much more cost-effective option, or you can continue replacing your current system one part at a time. We do not recommend doing that, both for the sake of your wallet and your mental health.
Old Age
Even the best-maintained heat pump cannot last forever. Sooner or later, a heat pump will simply become too old to operate properly. This usually happens around 10-15 years of age. Past that point, the heat pump will start to develop problems like those listed above at an increased rate. The system will become less and less cost-effective to run, as the efficiency drops and the repair issues become more frequent. It’s a good idea to at least have a professional check out your system if it’s older than 15. You may want to replace it now, before it starts developing some serious issues.
Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing provides a full range of heat pump installation services in Bethesda, MD. Contact us for an appointment today.