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Heat pump maintenance checklist
Replace or wash the filter every three months, book one service visit a year, and keep the outdoor unit clear. Where winters are cold, the service comes in September and the unit is cleared in November and January.
7 jobs a year, timed for cold winters. Tick them off as you go.
January
April
July
September
October
November
"Add these to my calendar" opens the free planner with this already ticked. Tick the rest of your house there, and it saves one calendar file that repeats every year.
The numbers, worked
Where winters are cold a heat pump gets 7 jobs a year: 4 filter changes (January, April, July, October), the service visit in September, and clearing leaves in November and snow in January.
Where winters are mild it is 6: the service moves to April, ahead of the cooling season, and the unit is cleared once, in November. In the hot bands the service is in March and the clearing in October.
Questions
Why does the service visit move with the climate?
It comes before the season the heat pump works hardest: before heating where winters are cold, before cooling everywhere else.
How often should the heat pump filter be changed?
Every three months on this schedule. If the filter's box gives a different interval, follow the box and move the reminders.
What does keeping the outdoor unit clear mean here?
Clearing leaves and snow away from it. Cold climates get a second reminder in January for the snow.
Can I add a furnace too?
Yes. Many houses have both. Tick both in the free planner and it merges their jobs into one calendar.