Heat Pump Cleaning: How to Maintain the Filters

A heat pump is a device that transfers heat from one place to another. It can work as an air conditioner, a heating system, or even a water heater by extracting heat or cold from the ground or the air outside. Heat pump cleaning is therefore essential.

Its main advantage is that it provides more heat energy than it consumes electricity. However, it’s not sufficient for the harshness of the winters in Québec, so you’ll still need to install an additional heating system – whether oil or gas – to fill in for the heat pump below a certain temperature.

Caring for your heat pump

There are two types of heat pumps: the air-to-water split, which is quite rare and connected to the hot water heating system, and the air-to-air split, which is more common and connected in your homes to a hot air heating system.

To ensure its proper functioning, it’s important to perform regular maintenance on your heat pump. In particular, it’s important to clean the filters every month. Without this maintenance, dusty filters can impede the proper functioning of the device, degrade its performance, make the fan noisy, cause water leakage, or be a source of unpleasant odours. The filters can also be covered in mould and bacteria, which can cause asthma attacks in sensitive people, respiratory diseases, or lung infections.

This operation is simple to carry out. All you need to do is remove the filters and replace them or clean them with soap and water if possible. Avoid any other product.

The different types of filters

Fibreglass filters

These have been used for over 60 years! They aren’t washable and are the least effective but also the least expensive. You’ll have to replace them systematically. This will only cost you a few dollars each time, but they have a low performance and aren’t very eco-friendly.

Electrostatic filters

Thanks to their composition and a low electrical current, they capture the dust and particles present in the air, and most of them can be cleaned with soapy water. However, they quickly lose their effectiveness after several cleanings, and they need to be replaced after each season. A quality filter approved by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) will cost you $25 CAN.

Electronic filters

Their performance is much higher, and they make it possible to eradicate almost all the dust contained in the air. They can be cleaned, but this must be done frequently; ultrasonic cleaning makes them like new again. Besides the high price (around $250 CAN), the installation is also expensive, and the biggest downside is that they produce a small amount of ozone that can irritate people with asthma or breathing problems.

Pleated filters

Of variable thickness depending on their quality (25 to 100 mm), they offer great filtration quality, retaining up to 80% of the dust contained in the air. They should be cleaned every month with soapy water and replaced once a year. A new filter is – of course – more effective. These filters can be found in stores starting from $15 CAN depending on their thickness.

HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters

This is the most effective system, filtering over 95% of impurities. It’s recommended for sensitive people with breathing problems or allergies. More than a filter, it’s a device independent from the heating system. Of course, at about $300 CAN per filter, it’s also an expensive solution.

Good to know

In any event, to make your filters last, avoid smoking, limit the number of rugs and carpets, and remove dust regularly.