Serving Northern California Since 1984
Your heat pump does two jobs: cooling and heating. But what happens when it doesn’t know when to quit the first one? Your heat pump is stuck in frigid limbo and it won’t switch over even though it’s cold outside.
That’s a pretty big problem. It will most likely require heat pump repair in Rancho Cordova, CA, but before you make that call, it’s important to know what you’re up against and why your heat pump is doing this in the first place. Let’s talk about that.
It may not get as bone-chillingly cold here as it does in other parts of the country, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t need our heaters to work effectively and efficiently when it does get cold. Without a reliable heater, it can get pretty dang uncomfortable. So, if you have a heat pump and all it’s doing is blowing out cold air, you will probably be pretty concerned!
The first thing to check if this occurs is the thermostat. Is it actually set in heating mode? This may seem obvious, but there is always at least a small chance that a family member switched it back over because they preferred a different temperature than you did. Assuming that you’ve checked this though, and the heat pump is still blowing cold air even though the thermostat indicates you switched it to heating mode, then it probably means your heat pump is stuck. But how does this occur? Read on!
Here’s the thing about Sacramento weather—and you know it if you’ve lived here for even just a year—it is extremely variable. Sure, we get cold in the winter and hot in the summer, but we also have unexpected heat waves and surprise cold snaps.
As such, we often find ourselves switching modes on our heat pumps. These systems are designed for such a task, and work best in climates like ours. In warmer weather, they remove heat from the home via a refrigerant process and expel the heat outdoors, where the process is revered in cooler weather.
But what happens when the heat pump won’t switch modes? Simply put, it indicates a problem with the reversing valve, which we’ll describe more below.
While we may not experience the bitterly cold temperatures that other parts of the state do, there’s no denying that our weather does get quite cold as we venture into fall and winter. And with that, you’ll want to make sure your home heating system is in great shape and ready to take on the cooler temps. Professional preventive maintenance and timely repairs will help accomplish this.
However, if you have an aging heater, it may be time for you to consider replacing your heater altogether. But wait, before you go out and buy a simple upgrade from your existing system, we have a question for you. Is your air conditioner also approaching the end of its lifespan? If so, you’d do well to consider the installation of a heat pump system—a system that both heats and cools the space where they’re installed.
Heat pumps are reliable systems with tons of benefits. They can operate as either an air conditioner or a heater, making them a growing favorite of homeowners across the nation. They’re also one of the most efficient HVAC systems on the market, saving hundreds of dollars in operational costs.
It’s almost enough to make you think they can do no wrong … But sometimes, those innocent heat pumps can get into serious trouble.
Now, don’t get us wrong—we love heat pumps as much as any other HVAC contractor in Rocklin, CA. And while we don’t actually believe your heat pump will rebel against you, we also won’t pretend they don’t have some common problems (no heating system is 100% perfect!). A few of these problems, and what you should do about them, are listed below.
