There comes a time in your heat pump’s life when it needs to be replaced with a newer model. But how do you know when the time is right? Can you repair your heat pump, or is a replacement necessary? You don’t have to make this decision alone.
Our team is here to offer our expert opinion in guidance on what might be the best decision for your home and family. Call us when you’re ready for a heat pump replacement in Staten Island, NY. In the meantime, you can keep reading to learn more about three signs that can indicate it’s time to replace your heat pump with a newer model.
Unit Age
The age of your heat pump is one of the biggest indications that it is time for a replacement. Heat pumps usually have an average lifespan of somewhere between 10 and 15 years. The closer you get to the 15-year mark, the more likely it is that your heat pump needs to be replaced.
A manufacturer’s warranty usually covers problems for 10 years. After that, any issues are your financial responsibility. If something inside your heat pump goes majorly wrong and is expensive to fix, you may need to invest in a replacement once the warranty period has passed.
Changes in Airflow
Aside from age, pay attention to changes in how your heat pump is operating. Changes can happen in one of two ways. Airflow problems can mean that air blowing out of the system is lukewarm instead of specifically cool or hot. When you have your heat pump set to cooling, the air coming out of the vents should feel cool.
When your heat pump is set to heat mode, the air should feel hot. Lukewarm air is usually a sign that your heat pump is not absorbing heat the way it needs to to either bring it into your home or transfer it out. This points to problems with the refrigerant lines. Sometimes, leaks are easy to fix. Other times, if the refrigerant problems are major, then you may need to invest in a new unit.
The other potential problem is that air is at an acceptable temperature, but the airflow itself is not particularly strong. Sometimes this is a problem with the attached ductwork. But if you can rule out that possibility, you’re left with the blower motor.
If your heat pump doesn’t have enough power to push air through the ductwork and into your home, your home will never reach your desired temperature. It is possible to replace the blower motor, but depending on the age of your heat pump, it may make more sense to just go ahead and invest in a new unit instead.
Frequent Repairs
You also need to consider it a red flag if your heat pump has frequent repair needs. This usually happens within the last couple of years of a heat pump’s lifespan. You may schedule an appointment for one repair and get a single problem fixed, only for another one to pop up a couple of weeks or a month later. Frequent repairs add up quickly.
They also point to major problems happening inside of your heat pump. Instead of pouring money into constant heat pump repairs, spend that money on a brand new unit that has a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty and a long life ahead of it.
Contact Scaran today to schedule an appointment with our professionals.
