Heat pumps come highly recommended as energy-efficient heating and cooling systems that are ideally suited for climates like you’d expect in Jacksonville, Florida. These are reliable devices, too, particularly when installed by qualified HVAC technicians, and when serviced through routine maintenance. Even so, problems can arise with heat pumps, so let’s take a look at what heat pumps are, and the common types of issues and repairs you can expect.
What is a Heat Pump, and What Does it Do?
To understand some common heat pump problems and how they might be repaired, it helps to understand how these fixtures work. They’re surprisingly simple, usually made up of two components, which would be the condenser unit on the outside of the home, and an indoor unit that vents hot or cold air into the home.
Heat pumps serve as both heating and cooling units, and they are reversible as your need for heating and cooling changes throughout the year. In warmer months, you can set them to air conditioning, and the reversing valve will pump cooled air into your home, while in the cooler months, you can set the unit to heat. This works exactly the same as the air conditioning part of the process, but instead of removing warm air from inside the home, the pump reverses to compress the refrigerant, which heats the refrigerant and allows the pump to blow warm air over the refrigerant coils and into the home.
Common Heat Pump Issues
When it comes to heat pump problems, there are a few common themes. Some of these include:
- The pump isn’t providing enough heat. As with many issues like this, when a heat pump isn’t heating enough, it’s time to call a technician right away because the problem could get worse—and it could get worse quickly.
- Problems switching into heating mode. Heat pumps are designed to switch between heating and cooling, and if yours won’t switch from one mode to the other, then it’s time for repairs.
- Unusual noises can signify a problem, so if you hear banging or hissing noises, you’ll want to schedule a diagnostic.
Common Ways to Repair a Heat Pump
Repairs depend on what has gone wrong with the heat pump, but just the same as there are common themes in heat pump problems, there are usually also some common fixes that are quick and easy for a qualified technician.
- When the pump isn’t providing enough heat, it may be that leaky refrigerant lines need to be repaired. This is also a likely repair if the unit is producing unusual hissing sounds.
- Banging sounds could signify that the compressor needs repair or replacement, or that a fan needs to be replaced.
- When heat pumps won’t switch between heating and cooling, the most common causes are either a malfunctioning thermostat or a malfunctioning reversing valve—and both are issues that can be corrected by replacing these parts.
If you’re experiencing issues with your heat pump system, or if you’re considering having such a system installed, don’t hesitate to contact A/C Designs. We can help you save on repairs and new installations alike, and our technicians have the industry expertise to handle your concerns quickly.