The heat pump is a unique piece of equipment. The traditional heating and cooling systems consisted of an air conditioner for cooling and a furnace for heating. But a heat pump brings these two varied functions together within one apparatus. Doing away with the need for separate systems, the heat pump is indeed quite convenient.
Due to the newness of technology involved in heat pumps, awareness about them is very limited. Most heat pump owners want to know how to identify that the heat pump needs repairs. The concern is logical as they don’t know what is normal and what isn’t. Therefore, our aim today is to arm you with sufficient knowledge so that you can correctly identify the scenarios when the heat pump repair is the call of the day.
Identifying Times When Heat Pump Repairs Are Needed
The life of any equipment and its optimum performance depends on how well you can identify its needs for special care and that, too, well in time. Here is a list of signs that indicates an abnormality in the heat pump. When you encounter even one of them, heat pump repairs are called for.
1. Strange Noises – Thanks to modern technology, equipment meant for domestic use are almost quite in performance. Nevertheless, it does not mean that they are absolutely silent. The same is true for the heat pump you got for your home. You should mostly hear gentle humming sounds of the running motor and that of the condenser kicking in. Other than that, maybe the moving fan would make a slight noise. If you notice strange sounds coming from it that was not there earlier, it is a sign of some problem. A loose or broken component may cause a rattling or clanking sound. Lack of lubrication or rubbing together of parts may produce a screeching or whining sound. In short, there is a reason behind every sound that the heat pump produces. If you’ve never heard these sounds before, the probability of them being an indicator of an issue is very likely.
2. Burning Smells – A burning smell is never a good sign, especially that of burning rubber or plastic. Having said that, there are still times when it is normal. For example, if you have not operated the heat pump for some time, dust tends to settle over its various components. When the heat pump is switched on, the accumulated dust burns off and becomes the cause of the burning smell. The same will happen if you have not got the heat pump cleaned for a long time. Now, you must be wondering how you can differentiate between the smell of burning dust and that of burning wires. The answer is straightforward. The burning smell that arises from the dust particles goes away in a few minutes and will never cause the circuit breaker to trip. On the other hand, the smell that arises due to wires burning or plastic heating up abnormally is persistent and may even cause the circuit breaker to trip. Hence, if this is what you are encountering, immediately switch off the unit and call your HVAC technician.
3. Uneven Heating Or Cooling – If the ductwork and air filters in your home are clean, insulation proper, and the size of the heat pump adequate, there is no reason why your home should not heat or cool evenly. Ideally, uneven heating and cooling happen when the flow of air is sluggish, or the unit itself is unable to treat the air to the desired temperature. To verify the problem, place your arm next to the vent from where the air is entering the room. If you barely feel the air moving, it means that something is preventing the flow of air. On the contrary, if the airflow seems normal, try to judge whether the air is sufficiently cool or warm, depending on the season. If the temperature leaves much to be desired, the unit is not treating the air properly. In both these cases, you will have to get the unit checked out thoroughly by a trained technician to rectify the issue.
4. Short Cycling – Short cycling happens when the system runs for a short duration and then shuts down without proper heating or cooling of the home. This is not normal. The ideal scenario is that the unit should run as long as it takes to reach the appropriate temperature. Only once the desired temperature is reached should it shut down until such time that further heating or cooling is required. At no time should you think that short cycling helps achieve the predetermined temperature faster. This thinking is far from the truth. Short cycling is a sign that something is wrong with the heat pump and that repairs are imminent.
5. High Energy Bills – Heat pumps are energy-efficient machines. Over time it tends to lose some efficiency, most of which can be reclaimed through a timely maintenance schedule. If at any time you notice a spike in energy bills of which there is no obvious cause, you should be concerned. If the heat pump starts consuming dramatically more power to perform the same amount of work, it means that the machine is operating under stress. It becomes important to find its cause as ignoring the problem can lead to bigger and more significant problems.
Place Your Trust In Aztil Air Conditioning
We trust that the warning signs discussed above will help you determine when you need to call in the experts. The residents of West Palm Beach can rest easy as they can place their trust in the elite team of Aztil Air Conditioning for heat pump repairs. Our technicians can take care of all types of HVAC systems. We offer emergency services around the clock and also carry out regular installations, repairs, maintenance, and replacements of the heating and cooling systems, both residential and commercial, with ease and expertise. Give us a call any time at +1-888-729-8452 as we are open 24/7.
