Heat pump repair costs in Alabama: Final report

This report presents results of a study of heat pump service costs experienced by heat pump owners in Alabama. Service cost information, including all parts and labor, was extracted from detailed service records compiled by the Alabama Power Company (APCo) in their Assured Service Heat Pump Program, a 10-year maintenance contract program. The study was performed on nearly 18,000 heat pumps installed over a 20-year period representing seven major manufacturers. Significant results of the study are: Cumulative repair cost per heat pump for all heat pumps as a group over the most recent 10-year period is approximately $680 in 1985 dollars, or approximately $68 per year. Unit repair frequency has decreased significantly over the past two decades. For units installed as late as 1980, approximately 50% have required no repairs at all during the first 5 years of operation. Cumulative cost of repairing a heat pump during its first 5 years of service is steadily decreasing and is less for units installed since 1980 than for all units installed earlier. Improved reliability of heat pump components, including compressors in newer vintage units, is the primary reason for the observed reduced cumulative cost of heat pump repairs, when those costs aremore » adjusted for inflation.« less