Introduction

Bottini Fuel knows that in the New England states, many homeowners depend on heat pumps to keep their homes at a comfortable temperature all year long. It’s tough to beat the ease of an appliance that both warm your home in the winter and cools your home in the summer. Energy efficiency is an additional key benefit of a heat pump for those living in our area. Those energy savings generally mean reduced utility bills for homeowners. Heat pumps characteristically yield substantial savings when it comes to heating costs. As the largest energy expenditure for the average U.S. homeowner, space heating accounts for an enormous 45 percent of energy bills. As with all heating systems, of course, appropriate care and maintenance are vital for the efficient operation of your heat pump.

Heat Pump Problems

Suitable care and upkeep also can prevent most key heat pump problems. However, it’s always possible that something could go wrong—especially during dangerous cold when your heat pump is working intensely. Here are five common heat pump complications, and how you should deal with them.

1. Sudden Loss of Heat – If your heat pump abruptly stops producing heat, first of all, don’t be alarmed. The problem could be something as simple to solve as fine-tuning the thermostat. Before you do anything else, always check the thermostat to see that your heat pump is turned on and set to heat. You never know—perchance someone in your home turned the unit off but forgot to switch it back on.
2. Not Enough Heat – If your heat pump is running but not warming your home adequately, a dirty air filter or other parts could be responsible. Examine your air filter once a month, particularly during winter and summer when usage has a tendency to be higher. Also, often clean other parts of your heat pump to keep it operating efficiently. Other possible causes of a heat pump’s inadequate heat production consist of blocked air ducts, faulty valves, or poor refrigerant flow.
3. Blowing Cold Air – If your heat pump’s fan is functioning, but you feel cold air coming from your air vents, there may be an issue with your system’s thermostat or air handler. Do not automatically assume the worst, though. If your heat pump is making much cooler air than usual, though, try to find the cause of the problem by adjusting your thermostat to emergency heat and seeing if warm air flows out of the vents. When you examine your outdoor unit, see if there’s frost or ice forming on the unit’s outdoor coil. Other complications that could cause your heat pump to blow cold air comprise of faulty compressor valves or refrigerant flow issues.
4. Incorrect Cycling – If your heat pump cycles (i.e., turns off and on) too frequently, it could be overheating due to a congested air filter or a faulty blower. If the problem is the previous, cleaning or changing your air filter may solve the issue.

Conclusion

Bottini Fuel would like to take this opportunity to make sure you know that if you have any further questions regarding your heat pump that you should not hesitate to give us a call.