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Q: My heat pump quit working. It’s not blowing cold air. Is there anything I can do to fix it myself or do I need to call an HVAC technician?
A : cool off with a passion pump is a very economical selection . TheU.S. Department of Energyrates these appliances as an “ energy - effective choice to furnaces and strain conditioners for all mood . ” While these gadget unremarkably give up to 10 year of trouble - free carrying into action , even thebest heat pumpscan go wrongly occasionally . The adept news program is that a warmth pump not working often ask a relatively straightforward DIY fix .
That tell , a heat ticker not cooling right go on for a sort of reasons . But before investigating the reasons why a estrus pump needs to be repair , check the circuit breaker box . Maybe something touch off the tour ? That could have in mind an electric flaw . If it continue happening , we ’d generally urge talking to a professional .
If it ’s not a turn on circuit , it ’s important to take a close look at each of the possible case to know the best fix . To supplement our own experience and enquiry , we reach a bit of HVAC specialists for their stimulant .
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1. The filters are clogged.
How a heating plant pump worksis by exchanging atmosphere . Many heat ticker can be both a heat and cooling system . In the summer , they vaunt stale air into the room . In winter , they can switch to blowing ardent melodic line inside . Either way , there ’s a lot of air move around !
That atmosphere is full of junk , hair , bugs , bits of foliage , or other thousand detritus . All of these things can damage the insides of a heat heart , so filters are used to ensnare them . If those filters are clogged , it will trim back efficiency of the heat pump . Justin Cornforth , chief executive officer ofAce Plumbingin South Carolina , told us : “ The result of dirty filters might seem magnified , but they can be the cause of many problems with a passion pump . Clogged filter qualify airflow , and less warmth is take up from the elbow room . This is why your heat pump is not cooling properly . ”
Braden Cook , senior music director at HVAC manufacturerCarrieragrees : “ stop in the indoor electric fan can result in air becoming obstructed and weak or no airflow into your place . ” luckily , if this is the reason for a heat pump not work out , Cook told us the muddle is easy and cheap . “ audit and houseclean your melody filter , or replace them if necessary . ” Your owner ’s manual should have relevant information on how to manage the filters on your exemplar .
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2. The thermostat is not set correctly or is malfunctioning.
Another vulgar grounds that a heat pump stopped working is either that the thermoregulator has been coiffure to the wrong temperature or that it has developed a fault . I have personal experience with this issue . During the summer , there ’s a tendency to turn down the thermoregulator as the weather receive hot because you desire more cold breeze . Then , maybe in the winter , it was switched over to warm aura and was never interchange back . In my fount , I did n’t point out I had the thermostat set higher than the genuine temperature of the air in the room . So my heat heart hold back crop because it think it had already done its job . As before long as I readjust the temperature , it set off again .
If you want cool off air , the thermostat should be set 1 or 2 academic degree humbled than the literal way gentle wind . That way the estrus heart work out to bring the temperature down . The first step then is to check that setting . stress drop the thermoregulator a couple of degree and see if the heat pump starts . If it does n’t jump , then the equipment itself could be faulty or the cause could be another on this inclination . If you have a smart thermostat , it may give you error codification . Whether it does or not , it ’s probable you ’ll need to call your HVAC engineer .
3. The heat pump coils are dirty.
oestrus pump coils are a cardinal part of the heat transfer system . Generally speaking , there are condenser whorl on the outdoor unit of measurement that work when the pump is provide heat , and evaporator coil on the unit ( or units ) inside that plunge warm air and convert it for moth-eaten .
Cook from Carrier say : “ Things like cottonwood [ seeds ] and other soil and rubble can build up on your outdoor coil and concentrate its ability to transplant hotness effectively . ” Usual signs are either a fall in functioning so there ’s lower melody flow indoors or ice forming on the coils alfresco .
expert recommend the coils are clean once every 6 calendar month . We have comprehensive advice on a low - cost DIY solution in our article onair conditioners not cooling , but it ’s a caper that some householder observe intimidate . A sustentation contract with your local HVAC specialist is deserving regard .
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4. The compressor or reversing valve is faulty.
The compressor sits in the whole outside along with the capacitance coil . Its job is to pass out the cooling refrigerant to the indoor unit of measurement ( often called the line handler ) . If the compressor fails , there ’s no coolant menstruation . A cliff in the amount of cold air flow is one indicator that the compressor is defective . It might cause a breaker to trip , or there might be undue noise from the outdoor building block . ( Although , sometimes this disturbance can be the high temperature heart fan not working decently because the bearings wear over metre ) . Unfortunately , compressors can go bad without much warning .
Alongside the compressor is the override valve . It controls which way the refrigerating move so it ’s responsible for switching from supply hot gentle wind to cool down air . The heat heart will either be stick on hot or stuck on frigidity if it ’s not working properly .
While it ’s possible to name a flaw in the out-of-door unit of measurement , a DIY haunt is not practical . It ’s meter to call in a professional person .
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5. The refrigerant levels are low.
When using a heat pump for cool down , it act upon a raft like a icebox . Just like those appliances , a warmth pump needs a refrigerant to be circulate through the scheme . fit in to Allen Chenault , owner of Florida - basedAC ’s Heating & Air LLC : “ The most common issue we find when a heat ticker is n’t cooling is low refrigerating levels , often due to leaks . This compromises the estrus pump ’s efficiency in channelise warmth , ensue in poor temperature reduction . ”
So if it ’s such a veritable problem ( and other professionals we contacted confirm this ) you might be wondering why we ’ve put it so far down the inclination ? The understanding is that unhappily there ’s nothing you could do except call a HVAC expert . Diagnosing leaks and recharging the system is a specialist labor . Although some retailer sell kits , local regulations often think it ’s actually illegal to attempt the job yourself .
6. The unit was incorrectly specified.
rigorously speaking this is n’t a cause of the heating plant pump not cooling , but it probably feels like it . Sometimes the heat pump just is n’t powerful enough for the sphere it is mean to cool . It might happen if you moved into a home where a previous possessor had attempt to cut costs . It ’s also possible that whoever specialise the unit misestimate .
The key issue is the BTU ( British Thermal Unit ) output . The high the figure , the larger the area that can be heated or cooled . As an example , a 10,000 - BTU heat pump is good for areas of around 450 to 500 square feet . If that unit was installed in an area of 600 or 700 straight feet , it would feel like it was underperforming , even if it was running at peak efficiency .
unluckily , the only way to chill the space right is to invest in a properly sized replacement . Our clause onheat heart costsoffers utilitarian information .
Final Thoughts
It ’s frustrating to obtain a heat pump not cool in good order , and it typically occur when it ’s necessitate most . However , as we hope we ’ve prove in the clause above , a localisation will often be something that even inexperient DIYers can harness . It could be something as wide-eyed as dirty filters that can be strip rapidly or replaced at modest disbursal .
As always , bar is better than cure . Reading the proprietor ’s manual of arms and carrying out regular maintenance should serve you maximize both energy efficiency and comfort level . Of naturally , if you ’re in any dubiousness , it ’s always a adept idea to call your local HVAC professional for supporter or advice . They have the skills and equipment to diagnose faults quickly , and they can get your heat pump running like it should again .
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