4 Signs You Need a New Heat Pump in Williamsburg, VA
Heat pumps are powerful, efficient and multipurpose home comfort systems, but like all things, they don’t last forever. At some point, your heat pump in Williamsburg, VA, may start showing signs that it can no longer keep up. It’s always better to face that moment in the fall, rather than being caught off guard in the middle of winter. So, how can you tell it’s time for an upgrade? Here are four key signs that your heat pump might need replacing.
1. Lackluster Performance
One of the most obvious signs is poor performance. There could be a number of reasons why it’s underperforming, and not all of them mean you need a full system replacement right away. But weak heating or cooling is never a good sign, and it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.
If you notice that your heat pump isn’t performing like it used to, don’t rush into replacement just yet. Start by tackling some basic fixes—clean the filters and have an HVAC technician take a thorough look at it. They can perform maintenance and might even be able to squeeze a little more life out of it with a solid round of repairs. But if after all that, it’s still giving you trouble, it might just be time to consider an upgrade.
2. Massive or Rising Utility Bills
One of the most common selling points of heat pumps is their exceptional energy efficiency. Since they combine both heating and cooling functions, and focus on moving heat around rather than generating it anew, heat pumps can do a great deal with a relatively small expenditure of energy. However, this also means that falling efficiency is usually a sign that the system’s parts are degrading and losing the ability to work well together.
There are a number of possible causes of decreasing efficiency, such as clogged filters, debris-infused parts, a faulty reversing valve, broken fans or motors and a malfunctioning compressor. Depending on the situation, these issues may be repairable, or they may not be.
Provided that you haven’t been using your heat pump more than usual, rising utility bills clearly indicate falling efficiency. Bills that spike up rapidly instead of gradually are particularly concerning. If this has been happening, you might need to consider replacing your heat pump.
3. Constant Need for Repairs
Up to this point, we’ve talked about problems that can often be fixed with repairs. When you run into issues like the ones we’ve mentioned, your first instinct should be to call in the pros to sort things out. It’s only when those same problems keep popping up, even after several rounds of fixes, that you should start seriously thinking about replacing your heat pump.
How often should your heat pump need repairs? Well, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but common sense is your best guide here. If you’re only calling for repairs once every year or two, your system’s probably still in good shape. But if you feel like the HVAC techs are becoming regular guests in your home every few weeks, it’s probably time to cut your losses and start thinking about a new heat pump.
4. Age
Finally, you should never lose sight of how old your heat pump is. Even if the system does not appear to be performing badly and does not have any obvious issues, age will wear on it. The older your system gets, the more likely it will be to lose efficiency and the greater the risk will be that a massive breakdown will take you by surprise.
The average useful service life of an air source heat pump is 15 years. For geothermal heat pumps, the corresponding figure is about 25 years.
Seeing each of these signs individually may not warrant scrapping your old heat pump and getting a new one, but if more than one of them occurs, it’s probably a good idea to start thinking about your next steps. Buying a new, more advanced and more efficient system can ultimately save homeowners in Williamsburg, VA a great deal of money. If you think that your heat pump has reached the end of its life, call Peninsula Heating & Air, and let us help you with our expert HVAC installation services today.
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