As a homeowner, you must have come across heat pumps. Heat pumps heat the house by getting the warmth from the outside and transfer it into the house.

When it’s warm outside, the appliance reverses the air movements and functions like an air conditioner where it gets rid of the heat from the house.

Since they function both as air conditioners and heating systems, many homeowners are confused about how to use them properly. Are you one of these people?

Here are tips given by heat pump repair services providers on how to use a heat pump in winter:

Allow the defrost mode

Although, alarming, keeping your heat pump operating at defrost mode is crucial for you to keep it functioning optimally in winter.

If you don’t keep the mode running, ice may begin forming on the outdoor components when the temperature falls below freezing.

The defrost mode allows the heat pump to reverse the operation and defrost the outdoor components. While the mode is necessary, you should note that it shouldn’t happen too frequently or last for a long time.

If you notice something excessive or out of the ordinary, contact a local heating and air contractor to inspect it and fix the issues that might be there.

Pair the heat pump with a furnace

Do you live in an area that is too cold such that the temperature falls below freezing? Have your heat pump paired with a gas furnace.

This way, you can get the electric heating down then switch over to gas heating, which not only works better at ultra-low temperatures, but it’s also more energy-efficient.

Don’t cover the heat pump

It can be tempting to cover the heat pump to protect it from freezing, but don’t do it. When you cover the heat pump, the chances are that you are going to cover the air source hence block the airflow.

As you might guess, this reduces the efficiency of the heat pump. Covering the heat pump can also lead to mold growth.

Don’t rely on emergency heat

During icy days, it’s typical to rely on emergency heat, don’t do this. This is because it can seriously drive up your utility bills.

If your heat pump isn’t working on the frigid days, consider pairing it with a gas furnace that will come to your rescue when the temperature falls below a certain point.

Get a cheaper energy supplier

If you have an air source heat pump, you need electricity for it to function, which, as you might guess, is expensive.

While the air source heat pumps are extremely energy efficient where they work at efficiencies of up to 300%, you can bring down your heating costs by switching to a cheaper tariff.

During winter, when you are heating the house most of the time, take your time and research about the available cheaper options. For example, you can go with a gas heat pump.

Make things smart

A smart thermostat makes it easy to control your heating system. The thermostat also gives you better control of your heating system, which not only makes it easy for you to use the heat pump, but it also plays a vital role in keeping your energy bills down.

Get rid of leaves, snow and other debris

Just like covering it, allowing leaves, snow, and other debris to cover your heat pump blocks the airflow of the appliance, which significantly compromises its efficiency.

To keep the heat pump at peak performance, heat pump repair Long Beach professionals recommend you keep the area around the heat pump as clear as possible.