3 Heat Pump Problems to Know About

Many people rely on a working heat pump to maintain a comfortable temperature inside their homes. A working heat pump will keep your home warm during chilly winters. If you live in the south and don’t use your heating system often, you should know heat pumps also help keep your home cool in the summer.

You should include heat pump service as part of your regularly scheduled HVAC maintenance with your experienced HVAC provider. Ocala’s reliable heat pump repair experts recommend having your heat pump serviced periodically to extend the life of the equipment and ensure comfortable environmental control in your home year-round.

Do you know how to identify if your HVAC system experiences heat pump problems? If you have any issues with heating or cooling in your home or your system isn’t blowing air through the vents, contact your preferred HVAC specialist for a consultation. A qualified HVAC technician can diagnose any problems and write an estimate for repair or replacement costs.

How Does a Heat Pump Work?

A heat pump functions by moving heat rather than consuming fuel to produce heat. The three types of heat pumps are air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, and water source heat pumps.

Air Source Heat Pumps

The most common and least expensive heat pump models use air to transfer heat energy. These models work well in moderate climates where outside air temperature doesn’t often get below freezing.

Air source heat pumps offer ducted and ductless models. A heat pump with ducts generally features a central unit inside your home with ducts throughout to cool or heat your whole house. Ductless models feature an indoor unit and an outdoor unit connected through a small hole in the wall.

Ground Source Heat Pumps

Ground source or geothermal heat pumps transfer energy between the air inside your house and the ground outside your home. Ground source heat pumps tend to cost more due to additional setup processes, including digging and installing underground pipes.

Ground source heat pumps work similarly to air source heat pumps, where heat energy is transferred between the air inside the home and the air inside the underground pipe system. When heating, the outdoor unit heats air and moves it inside the house through the indoor unit. When cooling, the indoor unit sends warm air from inside to the outdoor unit, which transfers heat out of the air.

Water Source Heat Pumps

Water source heat pumps require a nearby source of water in order to transfer heat energy into or out of the air in your home. They are much less common, but an experience HVAC professional will know how to address any heat pump problems if you have a water source heat pump.

What if My Heat Pump Runs Constantly?

If your heat pump runs continuously, you may be able to troubleshoot some problems yourself. It may be something as simple as cleaning or replacing dirty air filters, which can block air flow from passing through your heat pump system. You can also adjust your thermostat to see if the heat pump turns off when it doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain the temperature setting.

If your heat pump still runs continuously after changing air filters and resetting the thermostat, there may be more significant issues requiring a professional’s attention. An HVAC expert will be able to tell you if they notice:

• an incorrect calibration of your thermostats.
• a broken contractor in your heat pump’s compressor.
• that your condenser coils are dirty or grimy.
• a refrigerant leak.
• that your heat pump isn’t the right size for your home.

Regular heat pump maintenance can help prevent any major heat pump problems from developing over the life of your equipment. Your HVAC company can inform you if they notice any minor repairs or issues before they turn into bigger fixes with higher costs.

What if My Heat Pump Isn’t Running?

Your heat pump may not turn on for some of the same reasons that it may run constantly. Check your air filters and thermostat. Your system could also have a problem with loss of power to either the thermostat or the heat pump system. Visit your circuit breaker box and look for any tripped or blown fuses. If you have a ducted system, ensure that the vents and registers are open and not obstructed.

Your HVAC professional can tell you if you have a more serious problem, such as a faulty starter or reversing valve.

What if My Heat Pump is Short-Cycling?

Short-cycling describes repeated cutting in and out of your heat pump system. Your system may turn on and off repeatedly for many reasons. Your outdoor unit may be frozen, or it could be stuck in defrost mode if the outdoor unit is obstructed, like with grass clippings or other debris.

Defrost mode protects the outdoor unit during heavy winter weather. Your unit will occasionally switch to air conditioning mode so the heat pump can transfer heat to the outside of the unit and melt any ice buildup. If your heat pump gets stuck in defrost mode, it may kick back to air conditioning as soon as it switches to heating mode to finish the defrost cycle.

Your certified HVAC specialist can tell you why your heat pump is short-cycling if your system continues short-cycling after changing filters, adjusting the thermostat, and clearing any debris from around your outdoor unit. Your system may require a detailed coil cleaning, refrigerant recharge, or replacement of system parts to begin working correctly again. Call a professional to maintain your heat pump system.

Contact Fast Air Repair for Heat Pump Problems

Fast Air Repair is your expert HVAC company in Ocala, FL. Learn more about emergency HVAC services, and rely on our team of licensed and insured HVAC professionals to maintain your heating and cooling systems year-round. Don’t wait until you experience heat pump problems. Call Fast Air Repair today at 352-329-3437.