Top tips for using your heat pump.
Here are some useful tips and settings that will help you get the most out of your heat pump, and to help minimise your overall running costs.
Airflow Direction
For wall mounted heat pumps in heating mode you should point the horizontal louvers downwards so that the air is blown towards the floor.
Reason: Warm air will naturally rise upwards so if you do not get the warm air down to the floor level you may struggle to heat the lower part of the room effectively
For wall mounted heat pumps in cooling mode you should point the horizontal louvers out flat so that the air is blown directly out from the heat pump at a high level.
Reason: Cold air is denser than warm air and will naturally fall downwards. Blowing the cold air out flat will help ensure that the cooling effect is maximised
Fan Speed settings
For most situations, the ‘Auto Fan’ setting is the best (this is different to ‘Auto Mode’).
Reason: The ‘Auto Fan’ setting will allow the heat pump to increase or decrease the output to quickly get the room to the desired temperature and then the fan will run at a level that is required to best maintain the set temperature. If the fan speed is fixed to a low setting, then the heat pump will not be able to deliver a higher heating output if required and may therefore struggle to maintain the desired temperature.
Using the ‘Boost’ or ‘Powerful’ button
Don’t be tempted to use the ‘Boost’ or ‘Powerful’ function, or turn the heat pump up high to warm up a room quickly.
Reason: Many heat pumps have a ‘Boost’ or ‘Powerful’ function which will force the heat pump to run at a high output for a limited period of time. This function forces the heat pump to work extra hard and as a result the running efficiency is much less than normal so it will cost more to do this. If you need a lot of heating (or cooling) very quickly then using this function occasionally won’t cause any issues, but if you use it regularly it will start to cost you more to run heat pump.
The same applies if you set the temperature on the remote to a very high setting to get the heat pump to produce a lot of heat.
If you are tempted to turn the heat pump up high first thing in the morning a better solution is to use the timer so that that the heat pump can have a chance to warm the room without working too hard. Set the timer to turn on an hour before you get up so that the room is already warm when you want to use it.
Filter maintenance
Clean your filters on a regular basis as you may be surprised at how quickly they can become covered with dust. If you are using the heat pump a lot over the winter months then check your filters at least once a month, possibly more if you have new carpet or pets that shed.
Reason: Blocked filters are the cause of many performance issues with heat pumps as blocked filters will significantly restrict the amount of air that can be moved through the heat exchanger and this will significantly decrease the heating capacity and overall performance of the heat pump.
Service your heat pump
While you should clean your filters on a regular basis anyway, you should also have your heat pump serviced by a heat pump specialist on a regular basis. Once a year is a good frequency for servicing and this is also recommended by the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA).
Reason: A comprehensive service by a professional will ensure the heat exchangers for both the internal unit and the external unit are cleaned and free of any blockages that might reduce the performance of the heat pump and that the heat pump is performing as it should. A full service will also ensure all other components
and drains are in good order and that any potential defects are more likely to be detected before they become expensive problems.
Defrost cycles
All heat pumps will defrost when it gets cold enough outside. This is not abnormal or anything to be worried about. During cold days if you see a light blinking on the heat pump and it is not producing any heat then it is probably just doing a defrost cycle and it should start heating again shortly.
Reason: When a heat pump is running in heating mode the metal heat exchanger in the outside unit gets very cold. If the air temperature is also cold enough then the moisture in the air will start to condense and freeze onto the heat exchanger, and over time this will accumulate to a point where the air can no longer move through the heat exchanger. This will mean the heat pump is not able to work effectively and it will need to stop heating and run a defrost cycle to remove the ice that has formed outside. A typical defrost
cycle is around 10-15 minutes
You may also see steam coming off the outside unit during this process and this is nothing to be concerned about either.
However - If your heat pump is not heating and flashing some lights at the inside unit, and does not start heating again within 30 minutes then there may be a fault with the machine and this would then require a technician to complete a diagnosis / repair.
Leave on or use the timer?
This is probably the most asked question, and most difficult to answer as everyone is different.
From a purely cost view it will be cheaper to use the timer to turn the heat pump on in the morning or afternoon an hour or so before you need to use the room.
However, for a relatively small increase in overall cost you may find that leaving the heat pump on overnight or during the day at a low setting (16-18 deg) makes the house much more comfortable overall.
The more you use the heat pump the more it will cost to run but it will always be cheaper to use a heat pump than to use an oil heater or fan heater.
By maintain a modest temperature or using the timer to warm the room in advance you can also expect to reduce the amount of defrosting the heat pump may need to do during winter as the heat pump will not have to work as hard to warm a cold room. The harder the heat pump has to work then the colder the external heat exchanger will become, and the more likely it will form ice as a result.
If you have any questions on how to use your heat pump, we are happy to help wherever possible and we can also do any regular servicing and breakdown repairs. We are also service agents for all major brands so can process a warranty claim for you, even if the heat pump was not purchased from Heat Force.
If you need anything further, give us a call. We’d love to hear from you!