If your heat pump is struggling with a problem, it needs repair right away. If you put off getting the repairs your heat pump needs, you’ll end up with bigger problems: poorer performance, higher electric bills, more serious repair needs, and more. So you have to spot the signs that your heat pump is in trouble right away. What are the signs of a heat pump in need of repair? Read on to find out.
1: Noises
Like a car, washing machine, or any other appliance, it’s common for the first noticeable indicator of a mechanical or electrical problem to be a strange, new noise. And heat pumps can make a wide variety of noises! The type of sound will help your technician to narrow down the source of the problem.
A refrigerant leak may bubble or hiss. A loose screw or fan may rattle or clatter. A compressor that’s not getting enough power all at once when it starts up may bang or boom. Electrical issues may cause the heat pump to click or buzz. Worn bearings in the blower fan motor make grinding, groaning noises. And that’s not all! Any new, surprising sound you hear from your heat pump is cause for concern.
2: Smells
Again, a heat pump can make quite a few smells (none of them particularly pleasant) and they can indicate different problems. If your condensate pan is growing mold, you’ll smell mildew, but if it is instead growing a bacterial colony, it will smell more like vinegar. Hot dust, melting plastic, and fish are all smells that an overheating motor or electrical system can make. That’s a fire hazard! Get it repaired.
3: Short Cycling
This is the term for a heat pump starting up but shutting down right away, over and over. It’s often caused by overheating. The limit switch senses excess heat and shuts the system down for safety. It can happen because of blocked airflow, a broken fan, or an electrical problem in the blower fan motor.
This on-and-off cycle is terrible for the compressor, which will experience a great deal more strain than it should. And it’s terrible for your electric bill. That startup uses more energy than any other part of the cycle. It should only happen three or four times an hour. If it’s happening ten or twelve or more times, it’s using an outrageous amount of energy.
4: Poor Performance
This can mean a variety of things. Is the heat pump working more and more of the time, while not getting any more accomplished? Is the temperature never quite what you’d like? Is the distribution uneven, with hot or cold spots in different parts of your home? These issues are caused by something, and a qualified technician can track down the cause of the problem and get it repaired.
For heat pump repair in Swartz, LA or any other concerns about your HVAC system, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Contact Mike Smith Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC. We provide “Professional grade service.”