Why Your Heat Pump Won’t Heat

A heat pump is not much good at all during the winter if it won’t actually provide heat for your home. If your heat pump seems to be having trouble blowing warm air through the house, there are a couple of different possibilities. First, you may have a refrigerant leak somewhere in the system. Second, your reversing valve may be stuck. Read on for some of the signs that either one of these is the case, and what you can do about it.

Refrigerant Leaks

Refrigerant is the fluid that your heat pump evaporates and condenses in order to move heat from one place to the other. It is the lifeblood of the system, and without it your heat pump would not be able to operate. If a leak develops in the refrigerant line, it will slowly drain the system of refrigerant until it doesn’t have enough to move heat. If your heat pump is blowing out air at room temperature, that is a sign that your heat pump is having refrigerant issues. Hissing or gurgling noises are also indicative of a refrigerant issue, as they indicate air bubbles in the refrigerant line.

Reversing Valve Issues

The reversing valve is the part that directs the flow of refrigerant through the heat pump. Depending on the direction of the refrigerant, the heat pump either heats or cools the home. If the valve gets stuck, either because of a problem with the slide or the solenoid that controls it, the heat pump will become stuck in one mode. If your heat pump appears to be cooling your home instead of heating it, you should have the reversing valve checked out.

If your heat pump isn’t heating properly, call SPS Mechanical Inc. We offer heat pump services throughout West Deptford, NJ.