We may not get as bitterly cold winters as our friends up north, but this doesn’t mean we don’t deal with chilly enough weather to need a reliable heating system. Many folks in our area choose a heat pump system to warm their homes. This is a great choice since they are highly efficient and effective for climates like ours–hot and humid summers with relatively mild winters.
Your heat pump has probably been pretty consistently in cooling mode, but now is the time to switch it to heating mode. But, what if you go to adjust your thermostat to do just that only to realize… nothing happened? Are you still getting cooled air from the vents? Or maybe it feels like the air is lukewarm instead of hot? This is an indication that something is wrong, but what? While the problem might be a minor one that you can “fix” on your own (more on that in a moment), there’s a possibility that it’s more serious and you might need to call in a pro ASAP. Read on to learn more!
Dirty/Clogged Air Filter
What many homeowners don’t realize about the air filter that came with their heat pump is that it’s actually not there to protect your indoor air quality. Instead, it is in place to protect the interior components of the heat pump system itself from dust, dirt, and other debris that can harm its sensitive components. But the problem is, this air filter has to be changed on a regular basis–and too often homeowners forget this step of heat pump care. Depending on the type of air filter you have, and the level of contaminants in your home, you should be swapping out or cleaning this air filter every 1-3 months. When it gets too clogged up, it restricts airflow, and as a result, you may think that the lowered airflow is actually a sign that the heat pump is not switching modes.
Malfunctioning Thermostat
Another possibility is that you have adjusted the thermostat to the temperature you want, signaling your heat pump to go into heating mode, but the thermostat isn’t getting the message because it’s misreading the temperature inside your home. This is actually a relatively common problem and one that our professionals can easily manage. If you have a zone control system in your home, the problem may have originated with one of the thermostats which is causing the others to misbehave. You may either need a thermostat repair or a thermostat replacement.
Broken Reversing Valve
The reversing valve of your heat pump is a vital component of the system–allowing it to work as both a cooling and a heating system. This component changes the direction of the flow of refrigerant. Just like any other mechanical component, it can break and become stuck in one position, which will lock your heat pump into whatever mode it is in. You cannot fix this problem by yourself–our professionals will either need to fix the slider or the solenoid in the valve, or replace the entire valve altogether. For professional heat pump repair in Brunswick, GA, contact HendrixAir, Inc.