Heat pumps are amazing! If you’ve got one, you’re surely pleased with it. The trick is that you might not have had one before. Being inexperienced with heat pump ownership, you might need a quick primer on how best to care for this system, and what to expect from it. We’ve got you covered! Here’s our handy guide to the maintenance and repair needs of your home’s heat pump.
Heat Pumps and AC: Similarities and Differences
You’ve almost definitely had an air conditioner before, so it might help to understand just how similar your heat pump is to that more familiar system. In fact, almost all of the components are identical! There’s a compressor in the outdoor unit. This keeps the refrigerant under pressure, so it will flow. There are coils running between the indoor and outdoor units. That’s where the refrigerant flows.
The indoor unit has a blower fan, and a motor which keeps the fan powered. When the refrigerant coils in the indoor unit change the temperature of the air, the fan will blow that air through your ducts to keep your house comfortable. The real difference is that in an air conditioner, the indoor unit will always make the air colder, but with a heat pump, that can be switched. This system can make your air colder or warmer.
The Reversing Valve
This incredible ability to heat as well as cooling is thanks to the reversing valve, the one component in your heat pump that an air conditioner absolutely does not have. This is a piece that opens or blocks channels for refrigerant to flow through. The direction of the flow determines the direction that heat is carried: outward from inside, or inward from outside.
The reversing valve only works properly if three things are in place. First, the thermostat has to send an accurate signal. Second, that signal has to make it all the way to the outdoor unit where the reversing valve is located, so the wiring needs to be tightly connected and functioning properly. Finally, the solenoid (a type of electromagnet) needs to move the slider that opens or closes the channels.
Heat Pump Repair
If your heat pump is stuck in heating mode in the springtime and you can’t get it to start cooling, the problem is this reversing valve, but repairs are straightforward. Otherwise, signs that your heat pump needs repair are quite simple and very much like the signs that an air conditioner needs repair.
A heat pump problem may cause odd noises or odors. It may make the heat pump short cycle, turning on and off much too frequently. It may make it so there isn’t enough airflow coming from your vents, and your home’s temperature is uneven or never quite what you want. And it may cause the system to operate inefficiently, driving up your electric bill. If you spot any of these signs, get heat pump repair in Boerne, TX.
Heat Pump Maintenance
Because a heat pump is so similar to an air conditioner, the maintenance it receives will be almost identical. However, because the heat pump is used year-round, it gets twice the wear and tear. This means it needs twice the maintenance. Schedule routine heat pump service in both spring and fall.
Contact D’Spain Sales & Service to talk to a member of our team.
