Getting Your Heat Pump Ready for a Gulf Coast Winter

Ask anyone who has lived in Mobile for a while and they'll tell you: our winters are mostly mild, right up until they aren't. One week you're running the AC in shorts, and the next a cold front drops overnight temperatures toward freezing. Those are exactly the nights a heat pump has to earn its keep.

Most homes along the Gulf Coast heat with a heat pump, and for good reason. It's efficient, it handles both heating and cooling, and it fits our climate well. But a heat pump works hard all year. After a long summer of air conditioning, it's worth giving it a little attention before the first real cold snap. Here's a simple fall checklist from the team at Estes Heating & Air.

1. Clear Out the Summer (and Fall) Mess

By late October, outdoor units around Mobile are usually collecting leaves, pine straw, grass clippings, and sometimes debris left behind from storm season. A heat pump pulls heat from the outdoor air through its coil, so anything blocking airflow makes it work harder.

• Clear away leaves and pine straw from around the base and the top of the unit.
• Trim shrubs and plants back so there's a couple of feet of open space around it.
• Gently rinse light dirt off the coil with a garden hose (never a pressure washer). Turn the power off first.

One thing not to do: don't cover your heat pump for the winter. Unlike an AC-only condenser, a heat pump runs all winter, and a cover can block airflow and trap moisture.

2. Change the Air Filter

It's the easiest thing on the list, and it makes a real difference. A clogged filter restricts airflow, which cuts heating performance and makes the system work harder. If you can't remember the last time you changed it, now is the time.

3. Test the Heat Before You Need It

Don't wait for the first 35-degree night to find out something's wrong. On a cool afternoon, switch your thermostat to Heat, set it a few degrees above room temperature, and let it run for 15 to 20 minutes. You should feel steady warm air from the vents.

A burning-dust smell the first time electric heat strips come on is common and should fade quickly. If it doesn't, or if you smell something electrical or see smoke, turn the system off and call for service.

4. Understand What "Normal" Looks Like in Cold Weather

Heat pumps do a few things in winter that can surprise people:

• Defrost cycles. When it's cold and damp, frost builds up on the outdoor coil. The heat pump periodically reverses itself for a few minutes to melt it off. You may see steam rising from the unit, hear a whoosh, or notice the outdoor fan stop briefly. All of that is normal.
• Cooler-feeling air. Air from a heat pump often feels less hot than air from a gas furnace, even when the system is working fine. It runs longer, steadier cycles instead of short blasts of hot air.
• Auxiliary heat. On the coldest mornings, or when you raise the temperature quickly, electric backup heat strips may kick in to help. Your thermostat may show "Aux Heat."

What's not normal: a unit that stays covered in thick ice for hours, a fan that never comes back on after defrost, or a system that runs on auxiliary heat almost constantly. Those are signs it's time to call.

5. Go Easy on the Thermostat

With a heat pump, big temperature swings can cost you. If you turn the thermostat way down at night and crank it back up in the morning, the system may lean on its electric heat strips to catch up, and those cost more to run. For most homes, a modest, steady setting works better. A programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat designed for heat pumps can manage recovery gradually.

Also, save the "Emergency Heat" setting for real emergencies, like when the outdoor unit has stopped working. That setting runs your home on backup heat alone, and it isn't meant for everyday use.

6. Schedule a Fall Tune-Up

A homeowner checklist covers the basics, but some things need a technician. Under the Estes Comfort Agreement, our maintenance visits include checks like:

• Cleaning electric heat strips
• Checking refrigerant level and looking for leaks
• Measuring temperature split
• Measuring voltage and current on motors and testing starting capabilities
• Checking and tightening electrical connections
• Testing safety controls and thermostat operation
• Cleaning and testing the condensate drain

Catching a weak capacitor or a low refrigerant charge in October beats finding out on the coldest night of the year, when every HVAC company on the coast is busy.

7. Think Ahead If Your System Is Aging

If your heat pump struggled last winter, ran up big power bills, or needed repeated repairs, fall is a good time to think about your options, before a breakdown forces a rushed decision. We'll give you an honest recommendation on whether a repair makes sense or whether replacement is the better value. As an Amana® brand dealer, we install Amana heat pumps, including variable-speed, inverter-driven models. Financing is available with approved credit through GoodLeap, Upgrade, and Regions.

Ready for Winter? Let's Make Sure.

Estes Heating & Air has helped Gulf Coast families stay comfortable through every kind of weather since 1982. If you want your heat pump checked before the cold arrives, or you'd like to sign up for the Estes Comfort Agreement so we can remind you twice a year, call 251-443-7837 or schedule an appointment online.

Your comfort is our concern, in July and in January.