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Location pin iconWe serve 7 locations!
Select your location to get started:

Family-Owned & Operated Since 2001

770-241-5675

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Premier Heating and Air Blog

A Heat Pump That Won’t Heat: What’s Going On?

heat-and-cold-houses

A heat pump is one of the easiest HVAC systems to control. When you want to change from cooling mode to heating mode, all you have to do is set the thermostat temperature lower than the current temperature of the house. This signals the heat pump to change the direction it circulates its refrigerant, and this switches it over to begin moving heat into the house. The heat pump doesn’t operate much differently in the two modes (it’s still evaporating refrigerant in one coil and condensing it in the other), so it’s an easy change to make.

Except right now, for some reason, that change hasn’t happened for your house, even though it’s the season for it. If you have a heat pump that isn’t sending out heat or is actually sending out cold air, you may have a problem that requires heating repairs in McDonough, GA. Let’s take a closer look at the possible causes.

The Air From the Vents Is Lukewarm But Not Cold

First, let’s examine what might be the problem if the air coming from your heat pump is room temperature rather than cooled. The heat pump isn’t trapped in cooling mode, but it isn’t giving you any significant warmth.

  • Check to make sure the thermostat is accurately set. This may seem too obvious, but always eliminate this first because passing over the obvious is all too easy!
  • See if the air filter is clogged and needs to be changed for a new one. If you’ve left the filter in since the summer, it may be so congested it isn’t allowing enough air through the system to be heated up to the comfort levels you want.
  • There are a range of other issues that could be affecting the heat pump. If you change the heat pump over to cooling mode and you don’t get any cold air either, then you may have an issue with the compressor, a thermostat that isn’t signalling the compressor to turn on, an electrical problem, or refrigerant leaks. Call for technicians to find out what is wrong and how best to fix it. 
  • An old heat pump (more than 15 years) may simply be coming to the end of its service life and it’s time to replace it.

The Air From the Vents Is Cold

The heat pump has become stuck in cooling mode for some reason. There are several possibilities for this, but two main ones:

  • The thermostat’s connection to the reversing valve has been lost. The reversing valve is the component that causes the refrigerant flow to change direction. If the thermostat doesn’t give the signal to energize the valve, it won’t switch between modes, trapping the heat pump in one mode.
  • The reversing valve is stuck or otherwise broken. Technicians can replace the valve to restore operation.

Again, you’ll require the investigative abilities of professional technicians to find out the specific problem and then repair it. You can reach out to our team of experts for fast and effective repairs to keep your house warm. 

Experience the Premier Difference! Premier Heating & Air has been family-owned and operated since 2001.

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