The majority of people are more familiar with air conditioners, furnaces, and perhaps boilers than they are with heat pumps. But we always urge our customers to notice problems as soon as they arise, to keep them from worsening and leading to expensive repairs or system breakdowns. How can you tell there’s a problem with your heat pump? Here are the signs you need heat pump repair in Okemos, MI to be aware of so you can go back to enjoying your efficient comfort.
Noises
A heat pump should only be humming (the compressor) and whirring (the fan). There shouldn’t be any other noises, certainly not loud, sudden, or surprising ones! If you hear buzzing, clicking, rattling, clattering, grinding, groaning, whistling, hissing, or bubbling, there is definitely cause for concern. Don’t delay in getting the help you need, because your noisy problem will only get bigger and cause more issues.
Smells
A sweet, chemical smell is refrigerant, so if your nose detects that odor, you’ve got a refrigerant leak. A hot or acrid smell could be an overheating component or even an electrical issue that could cause a fire. A sour smell usually means bacteria is growing somewhere in the system, probably in the condensate pan or drain. And a mildew smell means, of course, mold.
Performance
Your heat pump should be keeping you perfectly comfortable, no matter where you are in your home. Are some rooms cooler and some hotter? Do some of your vents have very little airflow, or is the air of an unhelpful, lukewarm temperature? If you’re not comfortable, your heat pump isn’t doing its job, and a qualified HVAC technician can sort that out for you.
Short Cycling
Heat pump cycles should not be very rapid. There should be 10-20 minutes between one system startup and the next. What if your heat pump turns off almost as soon as it starts, over and over? There’s a problem, and due to the nature of short cycling, the problem is causing a lot of extra system strain and energy use. If you don’t have it repaired promptly, you will rapidly end up with more problems.
Efficiency
With annual maintenance, a heat pump should be able to perform remarkably efficiently for a decade or so. If you’ve been good about having maintenance done twice a year, and you’ve had repairs when they seemed to be necessary, you should not notice a jump in your utility bills. If you do, something is forcing the heat pump to work harder than it should, and thus to use more fuel.
Failure to Switch
The most spectacular aspect of a heat pump is its ability to switch between heating and cooling. But what if yours won’t? A heat pump that is stuck in one mode (generally heating) has a malfunctioning reversing valve. This component directs the flow of the refrigerant, changing the direction heat is carried by the coils.
Contact A-1 Mechanical Heating & Cooling for heat pump repair in Okemos, MI. Comfort and Character You Can Depend On.