Did You Know?

Regular maintenance of your heating and cooling system is a must. It will allow you to considerably extend the lifespan of your equipment, benefit from optimal performance, and ensure smooth operation especially during cold weather periods.

Cleaning your air filters once a month is very important as dirty or blocked air filters can cause the heat pump to work harder to maintain proper airflow and reduce its performance.

Keeping your outdoor unit clear of debris and snow from all sides and below will also help maximize the heat pump’s performance and lifespan.

A warranty is necessary to protect your investment. Without a long- term warranty, parts and labour can be very expensive if your heat pump should have issues over time.

The higher quality brands in the heat pump market tend to have the longest warranties as these companies stand behind their products and only allow authorized, qualified contractors to handle the installations. They take time to train their contractors specific to their products to ensure they are installed properly for optimum performance.

In today’s market, that’s another key point when deciding what brand to purchase. The longer the warranty, the more reliable and efficient the heat pump will be.

Fujitsu offers one of the best warranties on the market today!  12 years parts and 10- years labour when installed by an Elite Fujitsu Dealer. Why wouldn’t you want peace of mind knowing your equipment is covered over such a long period of time?

Most warranties state “need to be installed by a qualified refrigeration mechanic for warranty to be valid.”

Find a professional licensed refrigeration mechanic to install your heat pump. Make sure you choose the right trade for the right job!

Many different factors are at play when installing a heat pump. A poor installation can lead to poor performance from the moment the product is activated and cause problems that could have been avoided with a professional installation.

Higher quality brands like Fujitsu only allow dealers they have authorized to install their heat pumps. They have peace of mind that their products are being installed by highly qualified trained contractors.

Be very cautious when dealing with fly-by-nights or jack-of-all-trades who only know enough to be dangerous. They are looking for a quick buck and want to be in and out of your home as quickly as they can be. Nothing else can equal the system or equipment selected and installed by an HVAC expert who has the training and qualifications to conduct a complete analysis of your home’s requirements.

If you are looking for a professional install with a reliable energy efficient heating and cooling system then Tri County Heating & Cooling is right for you!

• HSPF (Heating Season Performance Factor) is the amount of heat produced per KW of electricity consumed. This number indicates a heat pump’s heating efficiency. The higher the HSPF the more Energy Efficient the unit, which means lower heating bills.
• SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is a rating to measure the cooling your heat pump can produce per unit of energy used. Like the HSPF, the higher the SEER rating is, the better the efficiency. This means more savings on your energy bill.

When purchasing a heat pump here in Nova Scotia make sure to take into consideration these two numbers as they are most important to consider when trying to reduce your heating bill. Depending on your individual needs, heating or cooling, or both, Fujitsu is rated among one of the top brands for efficiency.

A Few Other Specs:

COP (coefficient of performance) is the ratio of energy usage by the compressor to the amount of useful heat that is extracted. This is the amount of heat that is producted per KW of electricity consumed. The higher the COP value, the more efficient the system.

BTU (British Thermal Unit) is a traditional unit of heat measurement. It is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding heat pumps is “the bigger the better”. As with most things we purchase in life, this just seems to be the way we’re wired to think. This is NOT the case with heat pumps. Choosing the proper unit for your space is a critical step when purchasing a heat pump.

If you purchase a heat pump that is too big for you space it will not work as efficiently as a smaller unit and will cause a premature failure.

A heat pump is designed to heat your space and maintain that temperature. If a heat pump is too big it will enter what is called a “short cycle” which means heating the space too quickly and shutting off and back on again continuously. This will cause the heat pump to use more energy and therefore increase your energy bill – which nobody wants!

It is also harder on the heat pump’s system and life expectancy as the the unit is not able to operate and perform as it was designed to do.