You Bought a Heat Pump. Now What?
Now that you’ve installed a heat pump, you’re stepping into a new way of heating and cooling your home. We're here to help you get the most out of your new system, from understanding how it works, to making small adjustments that can maximize comfort and efficiency. Welcome to heat pump living!
Quick Glance Guide
Daily Operation Tips
- Keep your thermostat steady—avoid large, quick changes.
- Adjust temps gradually for comfort, especially at night.
- Keep interior doors open for better airflow; close doors to unused rooms.
- Use your heat pump as your main system; set backups 2–4°F lower.
Routine Maintenance Best Practices
- Clean or replace filters regularly (monthly for ductless, every 90 days for ducted).
- Keep outdoor units clear of debris, snow, and roof runoff.
- Clean air registers annually to maintain air quality.
- Check that the condensate line is draining properly to avoid moisture issues.
Operating Your Heat Pump: Tips for Everyday Comfort
Getting the most from your heat pump is easy with just a few simple habits. These tips will help you maximize comfort and efficiency.
Let Your Heat Pump Do the Work:
- Keep your thermostat at a consistent setting for best performance.
- Avoid large, quick temperature changes (3°F or more), especially when you’re away for short periods—this can reduce efficiency and increase energy use.
- If you want to adjust the temperature for nighttime comfort, do it gradually—just a few degrees at a time.
- If you’ll be gone for more than a day, lowering the temperature can save energy.
Find Your Comfort Zone:
- Tune the thermostat to a temperature that makes the space comfortable.
- For a ductless system, the temperature is measured at the unit. The thermostat may need to be adjusted a degree or two for higher
wall mounted units.
Boost Air Circulation:
- Maximize air circulation by keeping doors open to rooms without ducts or ductless heads.
- Close doors to unneeded rooms to focus heating or cooling efforts.
Trust Your Heat Pump:
- If keeping an old heating system without ductwork (e.g., a boiler), set its thermostat 2-4 degrees below the setpoint of the heat pump.
- The other heating system should only turn on if needed to maintain comfort.
- Using the heat pump as the primary heating maximizes savings; ensure the secondary heating runs sufficiently during extreme cold or consider controls for automation.
Keeping Your Heat Pump Running Smoothly
Like any home comfort system, heat pumps need regular maintenance to stay efficient and durable for the long haul. A little routine care can go a long way toward preventing issues and keeping your system running at its best.
Change or Clean Your Air Filters: Maintain heat pump efficiency by keeping filters clean; a dirty filter strains the system and leads to high energy bills.
- Ducted: Wash or replace air handler or grille filters approximately every 90 days, following manufacturer recommendations.
- Ductless: Clean filters monthly at a minimum, following manufacturer recommendations. More frequency may be needed for households with pets.
Keep Outdoor Units Free from Debris: Maintain your outdoor unit’s airflow by clearing obstructions throughout the year. For units prone to debris, consider professional coil cleaning to prevent buildup.
Protect Your Unit from Roof Run Off: In cold climates, placing heat pumps under a roof eave’s drip line or deck slats can lead to snow and water issues affecting airflow. Preferred installation is on the home’s gable end. For units under an eave without snow coverage or a gutter, consult a qualified contractor for relocation or a snow deflector to ensure proper winter heating operation.
Keep Duct Registers Clean: Dust and dirt in air ducts will reduce the efficiency of the system. Clean your supply registers and return air grilles annually to eliminate buildup of dust, dirt, or mold. Doing so will increase efficiency of the system and improve indoor air quality.
Check Condensate Lines: As the heat pump cools the indoor air, it wicks moisture from the air. Condensate will drain from the heat pump through the condensate line. Verify that the condensate line is clear and draining to a safe location that will not cause damage, mold, or a slip hazard.
What to Confirm with Your Contractor
During a heat pump installation, you’re bombarded with a lot of new information. After your installtion is complete, make sure you know the following before your contractor completes the project.
Operation
1. If the system is designed to heat and cool the entire home or only a portion of the home
2. If your supplemental heating system is programmed to still operate
3. The temperature setpoint of the supplemental heating system
4. The current settings on the air source heat pump thermostat for temperature set points, temperature modes, and fan modes
5. If it’s a ducted system, how to adjust the settings on the new air source heat pump system’s thermostat
6. If it’s a ductless system, how to adjust the settings on the new air source heat pump system’s remote control
Maintenance
1. Filter location
2. If filters are reusable
3. How to change the filters
4. Drain pan and condensate drainage locations
5. Length of the warranty
6. Contractor routine maintenance packages and services included
Heat Pumps Defrost Themselves
When the outdoor temperature drops below freezing, the outdoor coils may get a bit frosted but will clear themselves of ice. Defrosted water will drip at the outdoor unit, so make sure it does not pool and refreeze on a walkway. For ducted systems, supplemental heat may come on during a defrost cycle to prevent a gap in heating. For ductless systems, the indoor head may put off some cooling to heat the outdoor coils.
Signs Your Heat Pump May Not Be Working Properly
When switching some or all of a home’s heating to an ASHP, an increase in electric bills and a decrease in costs from the previous fuel should be expected. However, the most common and apparent sign your air source heat pump isn’t working properly is a sudden increase in electricity consumption (kWh) on your utility bills. This may be due to a lack of maintenance or a malfunction with the heat pump. Other signs your system isn’t working properly include:
- The heat pump is not running at all or frequently cycling off and on
- The space temperature setpoint is never reached
- There is high humidity in the space
- There is excessive noise from the unit or ductwork
- Auxiliary heating mode is constantly displayed on the thermostat
- There are strange smells coming from the unit or ductwork
- The outdoor or indoor unit coils are frozen
- The coils or filters are dirty
- There is mold growing near or around the heat pump
Keep Your Heat Pump Performing at Its Best
To keep your heat pump running efficiently for years to come, regular maintenance is essential. Most manufacturers recommend having your system professionally serviced every 1–2 years—be sure to check your unit’s warranty and specifications for exact intervals. A qualified technician can inspect refrigerant levels, check for leaks, clean indoor and outdoor coils, verify airflow, and ensure all components—from condensate drains to thermostat settings—are working properly. Some simple tasks, like cleaning filters or clearing outdoor debris, can be done yourself, while others are best left to a professional. With routine care, your heat pump will continue delivering reliable comfort and energy savings for the long haul.
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