A heat pump is an integral part of your HVAC system. It helps heat your home in Oceanside, CA, during the winter and also cools it during hot seasons. If you experience heating and cooling problems, chances are your heat pump is not functioning correctly.
Icing Up
Your heat pump can ice up during cold seasons. The ice can sometimes cover the outside unit with a coating of frost around the sides. While this issue is often normal during winter months, heavy coats of snow on the unit can become problematic.
Usually, when ice piles up on the unit, the heat pump will automatically go to defrost mode to get rid of the frost. But if a heavy coat forms at the top of the pump, the ice can encase the coils. The ice can prevent proper heat circulation between the refrigerant and incoming air, which affects the operation of the unit.
Heat Pump Power Interruptions
A heat pump power interruption can occur as a result of a utility power failure, a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker. If the unit has been on and off for any of these reasons, you should turn it off for at least six hours. This action is particularly helpful if the temperature is lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat interruptions may cause the lubricant in the unit’s oil reservoir to become too cold to circulate efficiently, which could damage the pump’s valves. Set the unit on emergency heat to minimize these risks; it can help turn the pump off from running. If you experience the same problem when you switch the pump to normal settings, then you should contact a professional technician for repairs.
Outdoor Fan Issues
Fan problems usually occur as a result of motor issues. The fan motor could be failing, damaged or entirely dead. This affects the release and circulation of heat from the heat pump, which can cause an accumulation of ice and dirt.
When this happens, you can call an experienced technician to help detect and troubleshoot the issue. Some problems are sensitive and require professional knowledge to fix.
Running Constantly
During warm months, your cooling unit might run continuously to keep your home cool. However, if it’s not too hot but your heat pump is struggling to maintain low temperatures, it could be a sign your unit needs servicing.
You can try checking the thermostat to see if the settings are correct. Not servicing your heat pump for a long time can also cause problems for your cooling system. When the unit’s coils become too dirty, it can prevent it from releasing the required heat.
Blowing Cold Air
Cold air blowing from your heat pump can be a result of a compressor, refrigerant or valve issues. First off, check to make sure it’s not in assist-control mode and switch it to the correct mode. Also, inspect your outside unit to see if it is full of ice.
Your unit can go to AC mode if it detects frost. In this case, you may need to wait for a few minutes for your heat pump to unfreeze. If you troubleshoot the problems but your unit is not working correctly, you may need to consider other possibilities such as cleaning and getting a professional technician.
Odors
If you start experiencing odd smells from your unit, it can be due to rotting or something musty. Odor smells could be a sign of biological growth in your heat pump. This could affect the performance of your unit as well as raise your risk for health conditions.
A rotting smell can also come from something dead in your unit. Get a professional to establish the problem.
Call West Coast Heating, Air Conditioning and Solar today for all your HVAC repair and maintenance services. We offer quality services and excellent customer services with 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Our technicians strive to keep a high level of honesty and integrity.
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