Comfort Flow Heating Blog:
Archive for the ‘Heat Pumps’ Category

Is it Okay to Leave Your Heat Pump on Constantly?

Monday, April 10th, 2023
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If you have a heat pump, you may be wondering, should I leave my heat pump on all the time? It’s a question we get from many homeowners. While some people do leave their heat pumps on around the clock all year long, it’s not something that we advise. 

Your heat pump is already a system that is all-in-one heating and cooling, so it doesn’t get a break for half of the year while another system kicks in. You can keep reading to learn more about best practices for taking care of your heat pump, including turning it off occasionally. 

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Why Your Heat Pump Needs Two Tune-Ups Each Year

Monday, November 21st, 2022
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We talk a lot about scheduling regular maintenance for your HVAC system and plumbing, but there are other appliances in your home that require maintenance, too. Most of your home’s systems only need maintenance once per year. But if you have a heat pump you need maintenance twice per year. 

That’s because your heat pump is working all year round without a break to both heat and cool your home. If you’re interested in heat pump maintenance in Salem, our team is here to help. We can even help you schedule your upcoming heat pump tune-up for the next six months so you don’t forget to do it. If you want to learn more about why heat pumps need maintenance twice as often, just keep reading. 

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Reminder: Your Heat Pump Needs a Tune-Up in Fall As Well!

Monday, October 3rd, 2016

With fall now fully underway, it’s definitely time to stop thinking about scheduling maintenance for your heating system and actually schedule it. You want to be on the calendar for maintenance as soon as possible so you can avoid the rush as the winter closes in.

“But wait,” you may say, “I use a heat pump for comfort. It already had its annual tune-up back in spring. Does it need another one?”

The answer to that is simple, “Yes it does.” However, we’ll explain in more detail.

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Heat Pump Won’t Switch Modes: What’s Wrong?

Monday, March 28th, 2016

As the warmer weather starts up along with the coming of spring, heat pumps are going to switch over from heating mode to cooling mode, probably for the first time in many months. When you first make the switch on the thermostat that will change the heat pump back into a cooling system, make sure that you check on the air flow coming from the vents. Is the air cool—or does it still feel warm to lukewarm? If you’re still receiving warm air from the ventilation system, it’s possible that the heat pump has malfunctioned. Check again on the thermostat to make sure that you’ve set it correctly.

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Is It Best to Leave a Heat Pump Running All Night?

Monday, February 15th, 2016

We’ve discussed before on this blog some of the more effective ways to use your home’s heating and cooling system so that you enjoy comfort all through the day and night without excessive energy waste. In this post, we’ll look at a question that people who use heat pumps during the winter to warm their homes often ask: “Should I leave the heat pump running at night?” If you’ve asked this question to non-professionals, you’ll likely hear different answers. We’ll get to the bottom of what the best practices are.

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Make Sure to Remove Snow and Ice from Your Heat Pump Cover

Monday, December 21st, 2015

We don’t get a ton of snow here in Eugene, OR, but we do get plenty of wet winter weather which results in a good amount of ice. Clearing ice certainly isn’t enjoyable, but when it comes to the outdoor cabinet of your heat pump system, it is a necessity. This is due to the way a heat pump works during the winter months. Your heat pump doesn’t have a lot of moving parts, so repairs are often minimal, but reducing the system’s access to the air it needs as well as the available heat will create systemic problems.

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How Does My Heat Pump Heat My Home?

Monday, November 30th, 2015

Eugene is a great place to have and use a heat pump HVAC system, but do you know why? Understanding why requires a little background on how the systems work. The experts from Comfort Flow Heating can give you this quick overview, but remember that we are here to help you with all of your HVAC needs.

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Why Won’t My Ductless Heating Switch to Cooling?

Monday, June 8th, 2015

Heat pumps are pretty ingenious systems. They offer both heating and cooling, and switch easily between modes – unless something is wrong. There can be a few reasons why your ductless system may not be switching to cooling mode, and with the summer solstice just around the corner, it’s important to call the experts at Comfort Flow Heating for help so you don’t compromise your comfort.

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Does My Heat Pump Need Spring Maintenance?

Monday, April 6th, 2015

Heat pumps are durable devices, lasting, on average, about 20 years. One thing homeowners tend to forget about their heat pumps is that these devices work twice as much as a traditional heating or cooling system because heat pumps can both heat and cool your home. As such, it’s important to schedule your heat pump system maintenance bi-annually instead of just annually. Has it been more than 6 months since your last heat pump maintenance appointment? Then it’s time to call the specialists at Comfort Flow Heating and schedule an appointment.

Why Is Maintenance Important?

When a technician performs maintenance on your heat pump, it is a full tune-up of the system. The main aspects of any maintenance appointment are:

  • Thorough inspection of the system
  • Cleaning
  • Adjusting
  • Lubrication of all moving parts
  • System checks
  • Performance testing

All of these tasks contribute to the overall benefits of maintenance, which include the following:

  • Better energy efficiency – your heat pump was made to operate at a certain level of energy efficiency, but will have a very hard time doing so carrying several seasons’ worth of dirt, dust and wear and tear. The process of maintenance allows the system to operate at peak efficiency so that you can achieve better overall efficiency from the system.
  • Prevents repairs – the thorough inspection the system undergoes during a maintenance appointment helps the technician detect existing or developing problems and get ahead of them before they can blossom.
  • Extends life of the system – maintenance keeps your heat pump in good working order year after year, which helps reduce the potential for premature aging.
  • Increases comfort levels – it can be difficult for a heat pump weighed down by wear and tear to achieve your set temperature; maintenance allows your heat pump to functional optimally so that it can easily achieve your desired temperature.

Spring offers a window of opportunity to get your heat pump system in great shape for the coming summer. The professionals at Comfort Flow Heating are here to help with all of your heat pump needs, so if it’s time for maintenance, call us today and schedule an appointment.

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Why Is There Ice on My Heat Pump?

Friday, November 7th, 2014

If you’re a heat pump owner in a cold climate, chances are you’ve noticed ice forming on the outside of your heat pump while it’s on. Your first impression may be that something is wrong with the heat pump. After all, how is it supposed to warm your house if it can’t even keep itself from icing over? The truth is that a little ice on your heat pump is nothing to worry about… until it is. Let’s take a look at what actually causes ice on your heat pump, and whether or not you should worry about it.

Where does it come from?

A heat pump has two separate units for distributing heat, an interior unit and an exterior unit. In heating mode, the exterior unit is responsible for siphoning heat from the air and directing inside to be used. It does this by using an evaporator coil to transfer refrigerant from a liquid to a gaseous state. As the refrigerant inside the coils evaporates, it becomes a heat sink for the surrounding air, leeching heat from it. Cold air cannot hold as much water vapor as warm air, so the remaining moisture collects on the coils of the unit. Freezing temperatures being—well—freezing, the moisture soon becomes ice on the pump.

Is it a Problem?

Yes and no. Yes, if enough ice builds up it can cause issues for the heat pump. Being mostly or completely covered with ice will effectively cut off the exterior part of the heat pump from its supply of thermal energy. This will make it unable to siphon any appreciable amount of heat from the surrounding air. Fortunately, most heat pumps were designed with defrost cycles to melt the ice around the exterior unit. If you see some ice on your heat pump, don’t panic quite yet. Wait and see if it goes away in an hour or two. If the ice level isn’t dropping, or more ice is accumulating on the pump, then it is possible that your heat pump’s defrost cycle is broken.

If you’re experiencing problems with your heat pump, call Comfort Flow Heating and schedule your heating services in Eugene with us.

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