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Bill's Superheat, Inc. Blog

Dirty Coils Are Never Good

Heat pumps and central air conditioners rely on refrigerant coils in order to absorb heat from the atmosphere. This is the main functionality of the system, which makes it exceptionally hard when the coils that are supposed to do this get dirty and crusted over.

One of the main purposes behind the air filter in your HVAC system is to protect these coils, since they have direct access to the air in your home. Even a small amount of dirt or dust over a long period of time can cause problems with the coils. Dirty coils can contribute to inefficiency and the eventual breakdown of a heat pump, which is why we urge our customers to call us for heat pump repair in Whitefish, MT if they suspect their coils are dirty. We can clean them or try to fix them if they’re broken.

Let’s focus today on what can be so bad about a dirty set of coils.

They Impact Efficiency

The first and most devastating effect of dirty coils in your heat pump is the fact that they’ll severely impact the efficiency of the system. Without direct contact with the air, a heat pump’s coils will struggle to absorb or let out heat. This means it’s going to have to run for a longer period of time and consume more electricity to meet the same demand set on your thermostat. Eventually, you could see decreases of 30-40% in efficiency, which is just unacceptable when compared to the high-efficiency power of a heat pump.

And plus, all of this inefficiency is going to be paid for by you when you receive your energy bill. Nothing feels worse than getting a surprisingly high energy bill for the same amount of comfort you’re used to feeling.

They Impact Comfort

Your heat pumps is going to be unable to keep your home comfortable if the coils get dirty. Above, we talked about how this process impacts efficiency, but it can also impact comfort the longer the problem is allowed to exist. Dirty coils don’t absorb heat as well as clean ones do, which means that your heat pump will take longer to cool your home down in the summertime.

You might start setting your thermostat higher just because you feel like your heat pump can’t reach your normal comfort demands, which is never a good feeling.

They’ll Lead to an Early Breakdown

Last but not least, a dirty set of coils will eventually lead to the breakdown of your heat pump technology. These are some of the most sensitive components in the entire system, and they’re also some of the most expensive to replace. So, if they’re constantly neglected to the point where they get coated in dust and dirt, then you’re likely going to need to pay for an early replacement.

Do yourself a favor and schedule routine maintenance appointments so our team of professionals can clean the coils and make sure they’re in good shape. Then, change out the air filter every 1-3 months to ensure little dust or debris is making its way through the system. And, if worse comes to worse, call our team for repairs if you suspect your coils might be dirty.

You can count on Bill’s Superheat, Inc. Contact us for support. Here to Save the Day!

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