A heat pump is an all in one heating and cooling system that works all year round. During the hot summer months, a heat pump acts as an air conditioner by extracting heat from the confines of a home and transferring it to the air outdoors. During the cold winter months, a heat pump serves to pull the heat from the outdoor air and transfer it to the indoor living space providing the warmth needed. A heat pump has the responsibility of heating and cooling your home, which is why it is imperative to ensure that it is performing at peak levels all year round. With that said, the team here at South Nashville Heating & Cooling want to share some of the common heat pump problems that can occur.
COMMON HEAT PUMP PROBLEMS
Outdoor Unit is Icing Over – A small amount of ice buildup on a heat pump is normal. A heat pump has the capability of triggering a defrost cycle to melt it away. However, if a thick layer of ice forms on your heat pump unit and is unable to defrost on its own, it will be necessary for you to take steps to defrost the ice so as to avoid having it damage the compressor or fan blades. If there is a thick build up, chances are your heat pump has a low refrigerant level or your outdoor fan is malfunctioning or broken. Both of these scenarios can contribute to ice buildup on your unit. Whatever the situation may be, contact the experienced HVAC technicians here at South Nashville Heating & Cooling to inspect your system and identify the exact source of the problem.
A Constantly Running Heat Pump – A heat pump should naturally cycle on and off as it either heats or cools your living space. When the temperatures are extremely cold outside, the heat pump will run constantly in order to keep up with the heating demands. However, if the temperatures are in excess of 32 degrees, and your heat pump is continuously running, surely there is a problem. In this case, the heat pump may very well be leaking refrigerant or the connection to the thermostat may be damaged or faulty. If either circumstance is present, be sure to reach out to the professionals here at South Nashville Heating & Cooling to take care of your HVAC problem.
Heat Pump Blowing Cold Air in the Winter Months – If your heat pump blows cold air, be sure that you have not inadvertently switched the heat pump system into its cold air conditioning mode. If the system is in proper mode, but still blowing cold air, then there may be a problem with one of the valves or with the compressor itself. Issues of these types should be assessed, diagnosed, identified and resolved by a professional HVAC technician as soon as possible, which is where the team here at South Nashville Heating & Cooling comes in.
THE DEDICATED TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS YOU CAN ALWAYS TRUST
If you find yourself faced with a heat pump problem you can place the unit into its emergency heat mode, which will trigger the system to provide heat to your home with electric resistance heat only. Though it will provide all the heat needed to keep your home and family comfortable, when operating in emergency backup mode, your heat pump will be twice as costly to run than your typical properly functioning heat pump. With that said, the professionals here at South Nashville Heating & Cooling highly suggest you take steps to get your heat pump back online as quickly as possible. Give a shout out to our team and we will send a technician over to assess, evaluate and identify the problem as well as provide you with an effective solution.
Most of these common problems that occur with heat pumps have a quick and easy fix when provided by a qualified technician. If your heat pump begins to act in a peculiar, unfamiliar manner or is simply not heating your home appropriately, then be sure to contact our team of highly skilled and dedicated HVAC techs here at South Nashville Heating & Cooling. We look forward to serving you and to providing you with the highest quality HVAC products and services this side of Nashville, whether winter, spring, summer or fall.
