How to Optimize Your Ductless Heat Pump in the Winter

Did you recently get a new heat pump? Thinking about installing a mini-split heat pump? This home heating option offers a lot of advantages, and it’s one of the most efficient ways to heat your home. Most homeowners notice savings right away. 

However, there are ways to improve your savings even more. Use these tips to optimize the efficiency of your heat pump this winter. 

1. Choose a heat pump designed for your climate

The journey to optimize the efficiency of your heat pump starts during the selection process. Look for a heat pump that is designed to work efficiently in your climate. If you live in a cold climate, you may need to upgrade to hyper heat technology.

Look for high ratings with its Heating Seasonal Performance Factors (HSFP) and Coefficient of Performance (COP). If you opt to have an AC with your heat pump, look at the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) to assess its efficiency compared to other cooling options. 

2. Size your heat pump correctly. 

The size of your heat pump also has a significant impact on its efficiency levels. You need a system that is large enough to generate the British Thermal Units (BTUs) that you need to heat your home, but you don’t want the system to be too large or it will waste energy. 

You can use the size of your home as a rough guide to determine the BTUs that you need. But this shouldn’t be your final answer. You need to take into account all of the other factors that affect the heat levels in your home including ceiling height, how well your home is sealed, sun exposure, and multiple other elements. A professional can look at your home and ensure you get the right size heat pump. 

3. Consider a drain pan warmer.

Once you have the heat pump installed, you may want to install a drain pan warmer. The warmer stops water from freezing in the drain pan. This prevents unnecessary damage and costly repairs to the system. Your installer can let you know if a warmer is a good option in your situation. 

4. Run the defrost mode as needed.

If you see ice building up on your outdoor condenser, you can run the defrost mode. This mode removes ice from the system. Ice can compromise the efficiency of your heat pump if it builds up and slows down the fan. 

5. Turn down the thermostat when not using a zone. 

Each of your indoor air handling units is its own zone. If you want to optimize efficiency, you should vary the thermostat settings based on how each zone is used. For instance, when everyone is out of the house, you may want to turn down all of the thermostats. 

Alternatively, if people are using the main room and not the bedrooms, you may want to increase the heat in the main room and lower the heat in the bedrooms. There are an endless number of combinations depending on the number of zones in your home and how you use each area. 

6. Set up your schedule with a smart thermostat.

It can be hard to remember when to turn the thermostat up and down, and if you forget to turn down a zone that’s not in use, you may end up wasting money on heat that you’re not using. To avoid this risk, you may want to use smart controls. Then, you can set up the schedule for each zone in advance based on how you use your home. That saves money, and it also ensures your home is comfortable.   

7. Tighten the envelope of your home. 

The envelope of your home is its exterior. If you have lots of drafty doors and windows, your envelope will let out warm air and let in cool air. In contrast, if the envelope is tight, your home will be easier to heat efficiently. Consider scheduling a home energy audit to assess the envelope of your home. Then, make changes as necessary. 

There are all kinds of changes you can make, and they’re not all expensive. For instance, if your windows are drafty, you can put in all new windows, but if you’re looking for a budget option, you can put plastic on the windows in the winter or even just use heavy drapes. 

8. Optimize energy-saving features.

The indoor air handling units of heat pumps come with many different energy-saving features. Get to know your features and make the most of them. For instance, some heat pumps come with an energy-saving feature that uses fans to improve air circulation so you can reduce the temperature in the room without reducing how warm it feels. Others come with occupant sensors that can blow air directly on or away from occupants depending on their preferences. 

9. Service your heat pump annually. 

Annual service appointments help to optimize the heating potential of your heat pump. During a service appointment, the tech can clean filters and check for any potential issues with the equipment. This also helps your equipment to last longer and protects you from unexpected repair costs. 

Want to learn more about how to optimize your heat pump during the winter? Then, contact us directly. At Jones Services, we work with homeowners to find the best, most efficient heating options for their homes. We can help you choose, install, and service a heat pump to boost your home’s efficiency.