Why Isn’t My Heat Pump Emitting Enough Heat?
The best thing about a heat pump is that it can heat as well as cool your home. The heating is the best part because the heat pump is so much more energy-efficient than any other type of heating system.
But, as with any system, things can go wrong. If your heat pump isn’t producing as much heat as it should, it’s a definite cause for concern. What caused it? What can you do about it? We’ll tell you.
Your Heat Pump Needs to Be Clean
In order to have the air circulation required for the heat pump to work properly, certain parts need to be clean. Before you get too concerned that something serious might be wrong, take some time for a little cleaning. You might be able to resolve this problem yourself with just a few minutes of effort.
The first spot to look is your air filter. Every month, it should be cleaned if it’s reusable, or replaced if it’s disposable. If you have additional sources of dust, like a heavily-shedding pet or dusty road construction in your neighborhood, you may need to do it even more often.
The other spot to look is your outdoor unit. When the fins and coils are caked with dust or dirt, or there’s an accumulation of debris such as lawn clippings built up around it, there won’t be sufficient airflow. Rake away any mess and gently hose the unit down.
Low Refrigerant Causes Low Output
If that process doesn’t completely resolve your problem, it’s time to consider other reasons your heat pump has low heat output in Corinth, TX. It could be that your refrigerant levels are low. Since heat pumps don’t use up refrigerant in the process of running, this would mean there’s a leak in the system somewhere.
How can you tell if this is the case? Other signs of a refrigerant leak include hissing or bubbling sounds, a sweet chemical smell, liquid dripping from coils, or ice buildup on coils. This needs to be repaired promptly, because the lack of refrigerant puts unnecessary strain on the compressor, and you don’t want to have to replace that. (It might be less costly to just replace the whole system.)
Short Cycling Limits Output
Another thing to notice is how long your heat pump’s cycles are. Whether it’s heating or cooling, the cycles work the same way. The thermostat signals that the temperature is outside the ideal range. The compressor kicks on and circulates the refrigerant. Once the thermostat registers that the temperature is ideal again, it shuts the compressor off. This should only happen 3-4 times per hour.
Short cycling means that it’s happening every few minutes, probably because the heat pump is shutting itself down prematurely. This can be caused by a variety of things, such as an overheating component triggering an automatic shutdown, or faulty signals coming from the thermostat. Regardless, with such short cycles, you simply won’t get enough heat from your heat pump.
A qualified technician can diagnose the exact source of your low heat output problem and get your system repaired for you. Then you can go back to enjoying the most energy-efficient heating system on the market.
Contact PRK Services, Inc. today for all your heat pump repair needs.
