A heat pump works all year round: it heats your shower water every day and, if it also provides heating, it runs for many hours in winter. It is a very efficient system, but that efficiency depends on it being clean and properly adjusted. A service once a year is what separates a heat pump that saves money from one that uses more than it should.
How often it should be serviced
Once a year. If the heat pump provides heating, ideally service it before winter, between September and November, so it is ready for the months when it works hardest. If it only produces hot water, it can be serviced at any time of year.
On the Alicante and Murcia coast it is best not to skip a service, for two reasons: salty air dirties and wears the outdoor unit sooner, and hard water leaves limescale in the tank and heat exchangers.
What a full service includes
- Outdoor unit: cleaning the heat exchanger (the coil) and checking the fan and condensate drain.
- Refrigerant circuit: checking working pressures and temperatures and looking for possible leaks.
- Water circuit: system pressure, bleeding air, cleaning filters and checking the expansion vessel and safety valve.
- Hot water tank: condition of the protective anode, built-up limescale and the anti-legionella cycle.
- Electrics and controls: connections, sensors and operating parameters and, if it has wifi, that the app still controls it properly.
- Fine-tuning: reviewing the schedule and the heating curve so the system does not work harder than it needs to.
What happens if it is not done
- Running costs go up. With a dirty heat exchanger or low pressure, the system takes longer to heat and uses more electricity to do the same job.
- More breakdowns, and more expensive ones. A blocked filter or drain is cheap to fix during a service, but it can end up damaging the pump or compressor, the most expensive parts of the system.
- The tank does not last as long. If the protective anode wears out and is not replaced, the tank corrodes.
- It can affect the warranty. Some warranty and extended warranty conditions require regular servicing. Check those for your system.
What you can check yourself between visits
- That the outdoor unit has clear space around it: no leaves, plants or objects blocking the grille.
- The circuit pressure, if your system has a gauge. Note what it reads just after a service and let us know if it drops noticeably.
- If an error code appears on the display, note it down before calling: it helps us diagnose faster.
- New noises, drips or water that is less hot than usual are signs it is time to book a service.
How much it costs
It depends on the systems you have at home. With our maintenance plan calculator you choose your systems and see the price straight away. With a plan, we remind you when the service is due so you do not have to.
Official Ariston service centre
Climatización Zapata is the official Ariston service centre in Alicante and Murcia. We service heat pumps of all brands in the south of Alicante and the Region of Murcia, with our own technicians based in Pilar de la Horadada, and we speak English.
Frequently asked questions
Is heat pump maintenance compulsory?
Manufacturers recommend a service once a year, and some warranty and extended warranty conditions require it. Communities and businesses may have extra obligations: ask us about your case.
How long does a service take?
Between one and two hours, depending on the installation.
Will I be without hot water or heating during the service?
Only for part of the visit. When we finish, the system is running and adjusted.
