How to Get the Most from Your Ductless Heating System This Winter
As the temperature continues to drop, we are all becoming increasingly reliant on our home’s heating system to keep warm. If you’ve installed a ductless mini split heat pump in your home and been through cold months with it, you’ve already reaped the benefits of its cost-effective and reliable performance. But are you taking all the steps you could be to get the most from your ductless heating system this winter? Follow these do-it-yourself tips to maximize your unit’s efficiency.
Keep It Running
Unlike a furnace or a boiler, which burns fuel to create heat, your ductless heat pump works by taking existing heat from the outside and moving it inside. So, when you turn the heat pump off, your home cools and takes longer to heat up again. If you keep the ductless heating system running while you’re out of the home for a few hours, even at a lower temperature than normal, your home will retain some heat, leaving you with a warm respite from the cold when you get back.
Get a Drain Pan Heater
When your ductless heat pump is running during the winter, it’s important to turn on the outdoor condenser’s defrost mode occasionally to melt any ice buildup on the coil into the drain pan. But be aware—sometimes, the water doesn’t make it out of the drain pan, creating a buildup of ice that can damage your outdoor unit and impede its effectiveness.
You can combat this by buying a drain pan heater that hooks up to the control board of your condenser and heats the drain pan water when temperatures drop below a certain point. With this heater in place, you won’t have to worry about any potential ice buildup in your unit.
Clear Ice, Snow and Debris from Your Outdoor Unit
After a big snowstorm, go outside to see if your outdoor unit is covered with snow or ice. If it is, carefully clear it off to enhance airflow into the unit and improve its overall performance.
Throughout the fall and winter, check periodically to see if any leaves, branches or other debris have fallen around your unit that could prevent air from reaching the heat pump.
Call Us for Your HVAC Needs
If you want to learn more about how you can get the most from your home’s ductless heating system, our experienced team can help. And if you haven’t made the switch to an energy-efficient Mitsubishi Electric ductless system yet, but want to maximize your home comfort with one, we can help with that as well. Contact us today to get started.