Heating Repair: Heat Pump Diagnosis

You don’t need to call a professional HVAC technician right away when something bad happens to your heat pump. You can always start with a basic inspection and see if the problems are just simple matters that you can handle yourself.  Airview AC has put together these basic troubleshooting tips to help you.

Thermostat

Start with the most common, the battery. Change batteries if needed to maintain the proper functioning of the thermostat. Sometimes, thermostats fail to function properly due to old and drained batteries. Also, be sure to set the thermostat to your preferred setting and check if the set point is accurate. For example, if you want to heat your home, set the thermostat two degrees higher than the house temperature.

Power Supply

Power supply issues are easy to fix. Checking the power supply includes the circuit breaker or the closest wall switch to the unit. There are circumstances when relatives and friends visit your home, and they often mistake the wall switch for a light switch. Be extra careful of this scenario. If you are using a split system, be sure to examine the separate breakers in the condenser and the air handler.

Air Flow

If you find weak airflow in the vents, check if there are blockages. Most of the time, the dirty air filter is the cause so see to it that you replace air filters regularly. Check also if the vents are obstructed by furniture and any other items. Remove them. If these are all good, maybe the problem now lies in a faulty blower motor. Whatever causes your blower motor to fail, better call an HVAC technician for inspection.

Condenser Fan Motor

Unless on defrost mode, your heat pump’s fan motor should turn when the compressor starts to run. If it’s not the case and the heat pump is not in defrost mode, check if there are blockages that are hindering the operation. If none, call an HVAC technician to fix the problem.

Heat Pump Diagnosis:

• Change filters regularly.
• Remove obstructions from the supply vents.
• Clean the area around the indoor unit.
• Remove leaves and other debris that block the outdoor units.
• Have regular furnace and heat pump maintenance and repair services.

Need some help with your HVAC system this cool season? After you check the basics and realize the need for a professional heat pump service, don’t hesitate to call us at Airview AC.