A heat pump and heating system will not last forever, but with the right measures you can extend the life of the system and save both money and the environment.

Damage to the heat pump

Your heat pump and heating system can suffer damage. This could be because it is a factory production fault, it has been damaged during transport or installation or it has been damaged after the heat pump has been commissioned. Later, damage to the heat pump may occur due to lack of maintenance, such as filter replacement or uncleaned filters. It could also be that it is magnetite in the water in the radiator circuit and in the heat pump that has damaged the heat pump's parts. Common components that fail due to magnetite are the circulation pumps.

Then damage such as external factors such as thunder and lightning can affect the electricity supply, which in turn affects the electronics in the heat pump. It may also be the case that during a renovation, objects may bump into or fall on the indoor or outdoor part, which negatively affects the heat pump.

Different damages cost different amounts to repair and there is also a lot of difference between heat pump type and also brand. Cheaper repairs may be sensors and shift valves while more expensive repairs may be in the refrigeration circuit such as the compressor or evaporator. In some cases, it will be cheaper to replace the heat pump than to repair it. Read more about it here.

Therefore, it is important to protect both the exterior and interior of your heat pump as much as possible and when you perceive that something starts to sound or behave strangely react immediately and see if you can curb the problem before it leads to more expensive damage and you are left without heat and hot water.

Wear and tear on the parts in the heat pump

A heat pump will not last forever, even if you prevent it with service and maintenance. Parts in the heat pump work more or less constantly and sooner or later they will wear out. Therefore, you have to expect to replace certain parts after a certain time. It is impossible to say exactly when a part will be in such bad condition that it needs to be replaced, but for example circulation pumps and fans can have a lifespan of about 6 years.

Prevent damage to your heat pump

To minimize damage to your heat pump, it is good to check the heat pump once a month. There is often some form of alarm log and operating information that you should keep an eye on. It is also good that you have an eye on the electricity consumption, if you have an air/water pump, the electric cartridge can start up too often if there is something wrong with the heat pump, which costs you unnecessary money.

Just like with a car, which you use occasionally, your heat pump, which is running all the time, needs maintenance service. Some things you can do yourself, but it is good to have an expert look over the heat pump to determine that everything is as it should be. Read more about maintenance service here. Some pump manufacturers require maintenance service at regular intervals for the warranty to apply.

An easy way and important point to maintain filters. There are usually several filters in your heat pump, some filters filter the water and capture magnetite or larger particles while others are air filters that capture dust and other airborne particles. Read more about how to clean filters here.