Heat pump cleaning

Heat pumps: summer is not the only season when they need to be cleaned! Most of these systems are used all year round: in cooling mode during warmer months and heating mode in winter. Therefore, as they are always running, performing cleaning once a year is not enough to ensure efficient performance and energy savings. Not to mention that it would not be ideal from a hygienic point of view: bacteria, germs and mould tend to proliferate in A/C system components and, combined with the viruses that, especially in the winter season, circulate in the air, they represent a severe danger to our health.
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Flu cases are steadily rising in Europe. Italy, for example, has reached numbers not seen since 2009 -the year of H1N1- with as many as 2.5 million Italians affected last week. It is estimated that the peak, normally reached between January and February, will be between December and January. Two years of social distancing, mandatory face masks and alternate lockdowns have undoubtedly contributed to fuelling the ‘problem’, considering that flu has not been circulating for all this time. And things are not going any better overseas. In New York City, city health officials are recommending people wear masks indoors as Covid, Flu and RSV cases are rising. Experts are already talking about twindemic: a term that refers to the co-occurrence of both the flu and Covid and that can result in severe disease. It will be necessary to take certain precautions, therefore, especially at Christmas and during family get-togethers to protect, in particular, children and the elderly.

And in addition to this problem, there is the concern about energy prices that, although they have recently decreased, still remain at very high levels compared to the past, not to mention the surge that will probably hit the winter months.

In the upcoming months, then, people’s concerns will revolve around health and energy bills. But, what can we all do to protect ourselves and save up some money? For sure, scheduling heat pump maintenance with your HVAC technician is a great idea! Let’s see in detail why.

A/C Filters and Evaporator Coils

A/C filters block contaminants such as dust, pollen, allergens, bacteria and pathogens to prevent them from being released indoors and, as a consequence, breathed. Therefore, if not cleaned frequently, they will stop performing their function, drastically affecting indoor air quality. To learn more about indoor air quality, we recommend reading Errecom R&D Department’s interview granted during the pandemic.

Let’s also not forget that dust and debris accumulate on evaporator coils as well, creating a barrier that reduces -and, in the worst-case scenario, even blocks- heat exchange. The A/C system will take, not only more time but also more energy to work at the set temperature.

Condensers

Rain, wind and snow. Outdoor units are subject to bad weather, which can be especially devastating during this season. Leaves, debris, dust and snow can affect the efficiency of condensers for the same reasons mentioned in the previous point. Outdoor units operate in the same way as evaporators, which means that any dirt accumulated on the coils would drastically reduce their performance.

So, even and especially in this season, it is fundamental to fix cleaning and maintenance appointments with reliable and skilled HVAC technicians.
Maintaining the heat pump pays off in both health and money, not to consider that it prevents expensive and unnecessary system failure and breakdown and extends its life.

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