When the summer ends and the days grow cooler, you want your air source heat pump to function to its full capacity in order to keep your office premises comfortable and warm.
Here’s how to prepare your air source heat pump unit for the winter months.
Clean or replace dirty filters
The first thing to do is to check the filters in the air conditioning unit. If they’re dirty and clogged with debris, airflow through the unit will be restricted. This means that the unit won’t function to its optimum and could even overheat.
Carefully remove the dirty filter from the unit following the directions in your manufacturer’s handbook. Vacuum the dust and debris from the filter using the soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner hose. If the end result is a nice, clean filter, replace it in the unit using the directional arrows embossed on the filter for guidance. If the filter still looks grimy, replace it.
It’s a good idea to routinely clean or replace air conditioning unit filters twice a year to keep the unit running sweetly.
Condenser housekeeping
The condenser for your unit is typically located outside. Remove any accumulation of debris and fallen leaves that have gathered around the base of the condenser. Check that the drain is clear and free from obstructions.
Your next task is to inspect and clean the condenser coils. Invariably, dust and dirt find their way inside the condenser during the course of the year and the coils can become clogged-up.
To clean the coils, first, remove the side and top panels from the condenser unit. Put the screws in a safe place while you’re working so that they don’t get lost. For this job, you can use a special refrigerator coil brush which you can buy either from a good DIY store or directly from the air conditioning unit manufacturer. Alternatively, just use your vacuum cleaner’s soft brush attachment. Carefully clean the coils, working from the outside of the unit. Finish off by vacuuming to get rid of any residual debris from the insides of the coils.
Test the unit
Once you’ve finished working on your unit, remember to test it. It’s extremely frustrating to carry out the maintenance work a few weeks before the unit is needed, only to find that there’s a problem when you actually turn it on!
Your air source heat pump should now run smoothly. If there’s a problem, contact us today – we’ll be happy to take a look.
