Next Generation Air & Heat, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Heat Pump Repair’

Get Your Heat Pump in Great Shape

Monday, February 15th, 2021

If there’s one thing that you know about heating in our area, it’s that heat pumps are a great option for our climate. Heat pumps are fantastic for Florida weather because we have long, hot summers and short, mild winters.

If you’re realizing that your heat pump needs help to give you the comfort you are looking for, then you might want to invest in heat pump repair in Palm Bay, FL. We’re already halfway through the winter season, but the chances are high that you use your heat pump throughout the entire year. You need to invest in quality heat pump care to ensure your system is up to the task.

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Common Heat Pump Problems

Monday, August 27th, 2012

More and more people in Melbourne are utilizing heat pumps to both heat and cool their home. While heat pumps are pretty reliable devices, they need to have regular maintenance and occasional repairs to keep running at optimum efficiency. Here are some common problems that you might run into with your heat pump and what to do about them:

  • Not Heating or Cooling: If your heat pump stops working entirely, it could be a problem with the power supply. Make sure your heat pump hasn’t tripped the breaker or blown a fuse. Note: if your heat pump frequently trips the breaker, you should call for a repair immediately as it is an sign of a serious electrical problem.
  • Very Noisy: Heat pumps usually run pretty quietly, so if your heat pump is making a lot of noise, it’s a clear indicator of a problem. Causes of noise are loose screws, nuts, bolts or fittings. Your contractor can tighten these fittings as a part of your annual maintenance inspection.
  • Not Maintaining the Temperature: If your heat pump is running but not keeping your home comfortable, it might be a sensor problem. This can occur either in the heat pump itself or in your home’s thermostat. However, if there are very cold temperatures outside, your heat pump might be simply unable to heat your home enough. Most heat pumps function best when the temperature is above freezing. A backup heater will help take care of this problem.
  • Frozen: A frozen heat pump is usually caused by restricted air flow. For instance, a dirty filter will impede air flow and cause ice to form on your device. Changing air filters regularly will help prevent this problem, but if icing occurs regularly, call a contractor to examine your heat pump for other possible causes.

These are just a few of the more common heat pump problems, but they are the issues you will run into most frequently. As long as they are maintained, most heat pumps will work reliably for many years. If you have any problems with your heat pump, call the Melbourne heat pump experts at Next Generation Air & Heat!

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Heat Pump Repair Guide: How to Handle Your Finicky Heat Pump

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

A heat pump is designed to keep your Cape Canaveral comfortable. Warm weather, cold weather – it doesn’t matter. It should turn on when you need it and turn off when you don’t. So, when the device starts turning on and off without reason or when you need it to stay on, what exactly is the problem and how can you fix that problem without losing the heating or cooling capacity of your device.

 Common Causes of the Problem

There are a number of reasons why your heat pump would turn off shortly after turning on, and most of the time this occurs in heating mode. If it occurs in cooling mode, you should have the device inspected immediately because there is likely something wrong with a core component like the compressor. For heating mode issues, here are some common problems:

  • Dirty Coils – If the coils are dirty, the device won’t be able to properly operate, especially if it has been some time since the last cleaning. Both sets of coils need to be cleaned at least once a year to avoid this becoming a problem.
  • Low Refrigerant Charge – If the refrigerant gets low, you’ll need to have it recharged because the pressure in the device will drop and it will therefore turn off after a few minutes of use.
  • Defrost Timer – If the defrost timer is forcing the device into a defrost cycle too often (usually it is set to 30, 60, or 90 minutes), the fan might turn off every few minutes after turning on. This is a common problem and is usually due to a thermostat or switch issue which can be fixed relatively easily.

Another thing to ask yourself when this problem occurs is whether the device is heating properly when on. Defrost timer issues don’t usually impinge on the heating ability of the device, while low refrigerant can. You want to make sure the device is working properly when on and not just cycling on and off without heating capacity.

Based on what you find, you’ll need a technician to take a closer look and ensure everything is working properly. Most repairs for this type of problem are relatively simple.

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Heat Pump Repair Tip: Heat Pump Blowing Cold Air in Winter

Monday, February 6th, 2012

One of the most impressive things about a heat pump is that it can both cool and heat your Cocoa Beach home. But, if something goes wrong and your heat pump is suddenly trying to cool your home in the middle of the winter, you have a problem. Here are some possible causes of the issue and what you can do about them.

 Defective Reversing Valve

The reversing valve is responsible for changing the flow of refrigerant between seasons so your heat pump can both heat and cool your home. So, if it breaks, you can imagine what happens next – you won’t switch into heating mode and your heat pump will try to air condition your home.

Defective reversing valves are hard to diagnose because the symptoms are largely the same as those of a defective compressor or condenser valve. However, because of how they are installed and where they are located, you will need a professional to inspect this problem no matter what.

 Low on Refrigerant

Your heat pump should never run low on refrigerant because it shouldn’t leak, but if it does and the refrigerant gets low or if your device is simply very old, this may be a problem. Low refrigerant means that the device cannot transfer enough heat between the outdoor air and the inside air and the air that gets blown through your ducts by the air handler isn’t heated as much as is necessary to warm your house.

The problem is relatively easy to fix, though you should also have your repairman check for leaks and a possible cause of the refrigerant being low in the first place.

 Not Running at All

The final problem is one you should be able to notice quite easily. If the heat pump isn’t working at all but the air handler and blower are working fine, then the device will simply blow cold air from outside or possibly even just recycled cold air from inside. In either case, the heat pump isn’t running to heat the air and therefore, you’re getting whatever temperature it is outside.

This can be caused by a number of problems so it’s important to call Next Generation Air and Heat to inspect it immediately.

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Orlando Heat Pump Repair Question: Why Won’t My Heat Pump Start?

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

If you are having trouble with your Orlando home’s heat pump, you may be surprised to learn that it is probably not the heat pump that is to blame, especially if the trouble is that it simply won’t start up. That seems counterintuitive, but it’s true: the heat pump can be in perfect working order but still not turn on.

The good news, then, is that your heat pump is fine and you won’t have to pay an arm and a leg to fix or replace it. Still though, these types of problems can very frustrating to diagnose and correct. Here are four common culprits when a heat pump won’t start:

  1. No power to the heat pump. Check your breaker box to see if the circuit breaker was tripped. If so, reset it and see if that fixes the problem. Another possibility is that your heat pump is wired to a wall switch, or that there is a switch on the unit itself. Make sure the switch is turned on.
  2. Make sure the thermostat is set to the proper mode, such as “heat” mode if you desire more heat. It seems overly simple, but sometimes the trouble is as simple as that.
  3. A recently replaced thermostat. If you recently upgraded or replaced the thermostat in your home, it’s possible that something went wrong that is preventing your heat pump from starting. It may be the wrong kind of thermostat – heat pumps require a specific type – or it may have been improperly wired.
  4. Finally, the heat pump may have its own circuit breaker on the air handler cabinet. This is often the case with heat pumps that have supplemental electric elements. If that breaker is tripped, that could cause the problems you are experiencing.

If you exhaust these problems and the problem persists or recurs – for example, if the circuit breaker trips again – call an Orlando contractor to work on your heat pump. There may be something larger at work that is causing problems in the electrical system that controls your heat pump, and that requires some expertise to properly address.

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Troubleshooting Your Problematic Orlando Heat Pump

Monday, January 2nd, 2012

If your Orlando heat pump isn’t working properly, there are a number of things that might be wrong. But, where do you start and how do you solve these problems quickly and inexpensively? Here are some tips for common heat pump problems.

Low Air Flow

Your heat pump is designed to provide steady air flow to the entire house. When it was originally installed, the technician sized it to do so. If it suddenly stops providing enough air flow to your entire house or if the air flow it provides isn’t as comfortable as you’re used to, something is probably wrong.

More specifically, there is likely an issue with the heat pump itself since the device will compensate for most external problems by running longer and harder. A quick inspection will often rule out serious problems, so you should have someone inspect your device as soon as you notice a problem.

Leaky Duct

If there is an external problem, such as leaky ductwork, it tends not to be as noticeable right away. Often, when ducts are leaking, air flow problems will occur only in certain rooms of your Orlando home. Even then, the heat pump might be able to maintain the right temperature in those rooms – you’ll just have a higher energy bill because of the energy loss in the ductwork.

The best way to determine what is happening and how best to tackle the problem is to have someone test your ductwork for leaks, a relatively quick process.

High Energy Bill

If your energy bill suddenly increases dramatically, it is usually due to energy loss somewhere in the transfer between the heat pump and the rooms of your home. Leaky ducts can be the culprit, but so too can the air handler or the heat pump itself. If you notice a sudden increase in your energy bill, look for other symptoms like uneven heating or cooling in certain parts of your home or noises coming from the ductwork or your air handler.

No matter what other symptoms accompany the increase, you probably need repairs. Your home may still be comfortable now, but the heat pump can only make up for the problem for so long and in the interim, it is being put under excessive stress that reduces its lifespan.

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