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Have a professional service your heat pump at least once a year — and twice a year, in spring and fall, if it both heats and cools your home. Between visits, check the filter monthly and keep the outdoor unit clear. That's the whole heat pump maintenance schedule; the rest of this guide covers each step, what a proper tune-up includes, and the warning signs that can't wait for the next appointment.

Heat pumps need more attention than a furnace or central air conditioner because they do both jobs. A furnace rests all summer and an air conditioner rests all winter, but a heat pump works almost every month of the year — and more running hours mean more wear on the compressor, motors and electrical parts.

How often does a heat pump need professional service?

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends having a professional technician service your heat pump at least once a year. For a system that runs year-round, many HVAC professionals split that into two visits, each timed before the season that will test the system hardest:

• Spring (March to May): a cooling-focused visit — coil cleaning, refrigerant charge, condensate drain and airflow.
• Fall (September to November): a heating-focused visit — defrost controls, reversing valve, backup heat strips and electrical connections.

Once a year is a reasonable minimum if your winters are mild or you mainly use the system for one season. Plan on twice a year if any of these apply:

• The heat pump is your main source of both heating and cooling.
• Your winters regularly drop below freezing, so the system works hard and defrosts often.
• You live near the coast, where salt air corrodes outdoor coils faster.
• You have pets, renovation dust, or a home near a gravel road or construction site.
• The system is more than eight to ten years old.

Your heat pump maintenance schedule at a glance

Task	How often	Who
Check the air filter; replace or clean it when dirty	Check monthly; most 1-inch filters last 1–3 months	You
Clean the washable filters on ductless (mini-split) units	Every 2–4 weeks in heavy use	You
Clear leaves, snow and debris from the outdoor unit	Monthly, and after storms	You
Rinse the outdoor coil with a garden hose, power off	Spring and fall, or when it looks dirty	You
Vacuum supply and return vents; keep them unblocked	Every 3 months	You
Flush the condensate drain line	Every 3 months in cooling season	You
Professional tune-up	Yearly at minimum; spring and fall for year-round use	Technician
Duct inspection and leak sealing	Every few years, or if rooms heat unevenly	Technician

The maintenance you can do yourself

None of these jobs needs more than a garden hose and a vacuum, and together they take less than an hour a month. They matter more than most people expect: according to the Department of Energy, the difference in energy use between a well-maintained heat pump and a severely neglected one ranges from 10% to 25%.

Filters: the five-minute job that matters most

A clogged filter starves the system of airflow. In cooling mode, that can freeze the indoor coil; in heating mode, it drives pressures up until safety switches shut the system down. Check the filter monthly by holding it up to a light — if you can't see light through it, replace it. Standard 1-inch pleated filters usually last one to three months, while thicker 4- to 5-inch media filters often last six to twelve. Homes with pets, smokers or renovation work should stay at the short end of every range.

Give the outdoor unit room to breathe

The outdoor unit needs a steady flow of air across its coil, and anything that blocks it costs you efficiency. Keep about two feet clear on every side: trim shrubs, rake out leaves, and don't stack bins or firewood against it. In spring and fall, switch off power at the outdoor disconnect and rinse the coil with a gentle stream from a garden hose. Never use a pressure washer — the thin aluminum fins bend easily, and flattened fins block airflow just as dirt does.

Keep the condensate drain flowing

On a humid day, the indoor coil can pull several gallons of water out of the air. It drains through a narrow line that algae love to clog, and a blocked line means water damage or a safety switch that shuts the system off in the middle of a heat wave. If your line has an access port, pour a cup of white vinegar into it every three months during cooling season.

Winter: snow, ice and the defrost cycle

A thin layer of frost on the outdoor coil in freezing weather is normal. The heat pump clears it with a defrost cycle: the outdoor fan stops, you may hear a whoosh as the reversing valve shifts, and the unit can release a cloud of steam. Most defrost cycles finish within about 15 minutes. A unit encased in solid ice that doesn't clear within a couple of hours is not normal. Keep snow away from the base and sides, make sure roof runoff doesn't drip onto the unit, and never chip ice off the coil with a tool — a service call costs far less than a punctured coil.

Use the thermostat the way a heat pump likes

Heat pumps work best with steady settings. Raising the thermostat several degrees at once can bring on the backup electric heat strips, which cost far more to run than the heat pump itself. Make small adjustments, use a heat-pump-compatible thermostat if you program setbacks, and save the "Emergency Heat" setting for real emergencies, such as a failed outdoor unit.

What a professional heat pump tune-up should include

A thorough tune-up usually takes about an hour, often longer. If a technician glances at your filter, wipes down the unit and leaves within 15 minutes, you didn't get one. A complete visit covers:

• Refrigerant charge, verified by measurement — superheat or subcooling readings, not a guess based on how cold the lines feel.
• Airflow, verified by measurement, plus inspection of the blower, indoor coil and filter.
• Electrical checks: capacitors tested against their rated values, contactors inspected, connections tightened, and motor amp draw compared with the nameplate.
• Heating components: defrost control and sensor, reversing valve operation, and the auxiliary heat strips.
• Cleaning and leak checks: outdoor coil, condensate drain, refrigerant lines and connections.
• Controls: correct thermostat operation, including confirming that heating is locked out when the thermostat calls for cooling, and vice versa.

Worth knowing: refrigerant isn't consumed like fuel. If your system is low, it has a leak, and a technician who tops it off without finding that leak is treating the symptom — you'll pay for the same refrigerant again next season. If your heat pump was installed before 2010, it may use R-22, which hasn't been produced or imported in the U.S. since 2020, so every recharge draws on a shrinking and expensive supply.

What maintenance costs — and what skipping it costs

In most U.S. markets, a standard heat pump tune-up costs roughly $100 to $300 per visit; ductless and geothermal systems usually cost more. Many HVAC companies offer maintenance plans that bundle two visits a year, often with priority scheduling and repair discounts, for roughly $150 to $500 a year.

Skipping maintenance rarely saves money. Beyond the energy penalty, the failures a tune-up catches early are usually cheap: a weak capacitor, a worn contactor, a clogged drain line. Left alone, a failing capacitor makes the compressor struggle on every start, and a compressor replacement can cost thousands of dollars — the point at which many homeowners end up replacing the whole system. Check your warranty, too: many exclude damage caused by poor maintenance, and you may be asked for service records when you file a claim, so keep every invoice.

Signs your heat pump needs service before its next visit

Don't wait for the next scheduled tune-up if you notice any of these:

• Ice that won't clear: the outdoor unit stays coated for hours, or ice forms on the indoor coil or refrigerant lines in cooling mode.
• Short cycling: the system switches on and off every few minutes.
• Backup heat running constantly in mild weather: it's normal on the coldest days, not when it's 45°F outside.
• New noises: grinding, squealing, rattling or banging. A single whoosh during defrost is normal.
• Cool or weak airflow in heating mode: heat pump air feels warm rather than hot — often around 90 to 100°F at the vent — but it should never feel cool.
• Water around the indoor unit, or a burning smell that lasts beyond the first few minutes of the heating season.
• A jump in your energy bill that the weather doesn't explain.

How your system and climate change the schedule

A few situations call for adjustments:

• Ductless mini-splits: clean the washable filters every two to four weeks in heavy use, and have the indoor heads professionally deep-cleaned to prevent mold and musty odors.
• Geothermal heat pumps: there's no outdoor unit to clean and the buried loop rarely needs attention, but the indoor unit and pumps still need a yearly check.
• Cold climates: mount the outdoor unit above typical snow depth, and book the fall visit before the first hard freeze.
• Coastal homes: rinse the outdoor coil with fresh water every month or two to wash off salt.

Frequently asked questions

Should I cover my heat pump in winter?

No. Unlike an air conditioner, a heat pump runs all winter, and a cover blocks the airflow it needs. Keep it clear of snow instead. If snow or ice sliding off the roof is a problem, a small overhead shelter that leaves the sides fully open is the safer fix — check your manual first.

Does a new heat pump need maintenance?

Yes, and the first year matters most. A first-year visit confirms the installer set the refrigerant charge and airflow correctly, and it starts the service record your warranty may require.

When should I book my tune-up?

Early spring and early fall. HVAC companies are busiest during the first heat wave and the first cold snap, so a March or September appointment is easier to get and catches problems before you need the system most.

The bottom line

A well-maintained heat pump costs less to run and is far less likely to quit on the coldest night of the year. Keep the rhythm simple: a monthly filter check, a seasonal clean-up around the outdoor unit, and a professional tune-up every spring and fall. Book both visits today, and the schedule takes care of itself.

If you want to start selling quickly and never think about hosting, updates or security, choose Shopify. If you already run a WordPress site, plan to grow mainly through content and search, or want full ownership of your store, choose WooCommerce. Both are excellent platforms. The right one depends less on features than on how you want to spend your time and money.

This Shopify vs WooCommerce comparison uses current 2026 U.S. pricing, includes the costs that sales pages leave out, and ends with a clear recommendation for the situations first-time sellers are most often in.

Shopify vs WooCommerce at a glance

	Shopify	WooCommerce
What it is	Hosted, all-in-one store platform	Free, open-source plugin that turns WordPress into a store
Starting price	$39/month, or $29/month billed yearly (Basic)	Free software; hosting usually $10–$50/month
Extra platform fees	None with Shopify Payments; 2% on Basic with other providers	None
Setup effort	Low — a simple store can launch in a weekend	Moderate — hosting, theme and plugins to configure
Maintenance	Handled by Shopify	Yours: updates, backups and security
Customization	Broad, within Shopify's rules	Nearly unlimited — you control the code
Blogging and content	Basic built-in blog	Full WordPress publishing
Ownership	Your data on Shopify's platform	Your data, code and hosting

What each platform really costs in year one

Sticker prices mislead in both directions. Shopify's monthly fee includes hosting, security and updates; WooCommerce is free to download, but you pay for everything around it. Here is a realistic first-year budget for a small store with a few dozen products:

Cost	Shopify (Basic)	WooCommerce
Platform	$348 billed yearly, or $468 monthly	$0
Hosting and SSL	Included	$120–$600
Domain name	About $15–$20	About $15–$20
Theme	$0, or about $150–$420 one-time	$0, or about $50–$100 a year
Apps or extensions	$240–$720 ($20–$60 a month)	$0–$300
Year-one total	About $600–$1,630	About $135–$1,020, plus your time

Two things the table can't show. First, WooCommerce maintenance is real work: WordPress, plugin and theme updates, backups, and the occasional plugin conflict. Doing it yourself takes an hour or two a month; paying a professional typically costs $50 to $150 a month, which wipes out most of WooCommerce's price advantage. Second, cheap hosting is a false economy for a store. Introductory hosting rates often jump several-fold at renewal, and a slow checkout costs sales, so budget for the renewal price, not the promotion.

Payment fees: the cost that grows with your sales

For most small stores, card processing costs more than the platform itself — and it is nearly identical on both. Shopify Payments charges 2.9% + 30¢ per online card transaction on the Basic plan. WooCommerce stores typically use WooPayments or Stripe, which charge the same 2.9% + 30¢ for U.S. cards.

The catch is on Shopify's side. If you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, Shopify adds its own transaction fee on top of what the processor charges: 2% on the Basic plan. On $50,000 in annual sales, that is an extra $1,000 a year. Shopify Payments isn't available in every country, so check eligibility before you commit if you sell from outside the U.S.

Setup and day-to-day running

Shopify is built for people who want to sell, not manage software. You choose a theme, add products, connect payments and shipping, and you're live — many first-time sellers launch in a weekend. Hosting, security patches, card-data compliance and traffic spikes are Shopify's problem, not yours. Selling in several currencies and languages is built in, too.

WooCommerce asks more of you up front. Most hosts install WordPress in one click and WooCommerce's setup wizard covers the basics, but you'll configure the theme, payments, shipping, taxes and a handful of plugins yourself. If you've built a WordPress site before, this is familiar ground; if you haven't, expect a learning curve measured in days, not hours. Recent versions have narrowed the gap — new stores now get a block-based checkout and faster order storage by default — but you remain the person responsible when something breaks.

Both platforms let you print discounted shipping labels from your dashboard and calculate sales tax automatically. On Shopify, those tools are part of the platform; on WooCommerce, they come from free official extensions you install and configure.

Design and customization

Shopify's theme store offers polished free themes and premium ones for a one-time fee, and its app store covers almost any feature you can imagine: reviews, subscriptions, bundles, loyalty programs. The trade-off is that you work within Shopify's rules. Deep checkout customization is largely reserved for the enterprise Shopify Plus plan, and many features arrive as monthly app subscriptions that quietly add up.

WooCommerce has no such ceiling. Because you control the code, a developer can change anything — product configurators, unusual pricing rules, custom checkout steps. Thousands of free and paid extensions cover common needs, many for an annual fee rather than a monthly one. The flip side of that freedom: every plugin you add is one more thing to update and one more potential conflict.

Support when something goes wrong

This difference is easy to overlook until the day your checkout stops working. Shopify runs the whole platform and offers support around the clock, so there is one place to turn. WooCommerce has no single help desk: your host handles server problems, each extension's developer supports their own plugin, and community forums fill in the rest. A good managed WordPress host helps a lot here, which is one more reason not to choose hosting on price alone.

SEO and content: where the difference really shows

Neither platform will rank your store by itself; useful content and a well-structured site do that. But they give you different amounts of room to work.

Shopify handles the technical basics well: editable title tags and meta descriptions, automatic sitemaps, canonical tags and fast global hosting. Its limits are structural. URLs follow fixed patterns such as /products/ and /collections/, and the built-in blog is fine for announcements but thin for a serious content strategy.

WooCommerce runs on WordPress, the content management system behind more than 40% of all websites. You control every URL, can choose mature SEO plugins such as Yoast SEO or Rank Math, and get a publishing platform built for guides, comparisons and how-to articles. If you expect search to be your main source of customers — especially for products people research before they buy — that is a meaningful advantage.

Ownership and switching later

On Shopify, your products, customers and orders are yours and can be exported, but your theme and app setup stay behind if you leave. On WooCommerce, you own everything — code, database and content — and can move to a new host whenever you like.

Switching platforms later is possible in either direction, and migration tools can carry over products, customers and order history. The part people get wrong is SEO: your URLs will change, so map every old URL to its new one and set up 301 redirects before you switch. Skip that step and you can lose rankings that took years to earn.

Which should you choose? Three common scenarios

You're launching a new product brand from scratch

Choose Shopify. You'll be selling sooner, you won't spend your first months learning server maintenance, and if you also sell at markets or pop-ups, Shopify's point-of-sale system keeps in-person and online inventory in one place.

You already have a WordPress site with steady traffic

Choose WooCommerce. Your content, rankings and audience already live on WordPress. Adding a store keeps everything on one domain and one dashboard, with no migration and no risk to the traffic you've built.

Your product needs custom logic

Lean toward WooCommerce if you have developer help: made-to-order configurators, complex wholesale pricing and unusual checkout flows are easier when you control the code. Without a developer, start on Shopify and look for an app that gets you most of the way there.

Frequently asked questions

Is WooCommerce really free?

The plugin is free and open source; the store isn't. Expect to pay for hosting, a domain and usually a few extensions — roughly $135 to $1,000 in the first year for a small store, before counting your own time.

Is Shopify or WooCommerce better for SEO?

WooCommerce offers more control and a far stronger publishing platform; Shopify covers the technical basics with less effort. For most stores, the content you publish matters more than the platform you choose.

Can I try Shopify before paying?

Yes. At the time of writing, Shopify offers a three-day free trial, then $1 a month for the first three months on select plans — enough time to build your store and test checkout before you commit.

What if I only want to sell a few products?

Shopify, in most cases: the hours you'd spend maintaining WordPress are worth more than the fee you'd save. If you only sell through social media or links, Shopify's Starter plan at $5 a month may be all you need.

The verdict

For most first-time sellers without technical help, Shopify is the safer start: a higher monthly bill, far less to manage, and a store that works on day one. WooCommerce is the better long-term home if content and search will drive your growth, if you already run WordPress, or if you want to own every piece of your store. Choose the platform that matches how you want to spend your hours — then spend them on products and content, because that's what actually makes sales.