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My Heat Pump Won’t Switch over to Heating Mode!

With the temperature here in North Carolina dropping as the official date of winter arrives, you’re going to need to have your heat pump change over into its heating mode, where it will probably remain for the rest of the season. Normally, this isn’t an issue: you simply set the thermostat to provide you with warm temperatures, and the heat pump automatically starts the process of running refrigerant in a different direction so that it brings heat from the outside to the inside of the house.

But what if you make the adjustment and nothing happens? You either have cold air coming out, like the AC still running, or simply room-temperature air?

Why This Might Occur

The main reason for a heat pump that won’t change over to heating mode is a broken reversing valve. This is an essential component in a heat pump that diverts the refrigerant coming from the compressor either one direction or the other. When the heat pump switches between its heating and cooling modes, it’s the change in the reversing valve that makes it happen. If the valve breaks, the heat pump will be trapped in one mode or the other. Professionals can sometimes repair the reversing valve, put will often need to replace it.

Another possibility is that the thermostat has lost its connection to the heat pump, or it is registering incorrect indoor temperatures. The thermostat controls the reversing valve as well as the blower fan, and if it isn’t correctly operating them, it can mean lukewarm or cold air. Technicians will have to fix the thermostat, or they may recommend upgrading to a new type.

There may be a more serious issue with the heat pump, such as a stuck compressor or refrigerant leaks. Don’t try to make a diagnosis on your own: with all the possibilities, it takes an experienced HVAC technician to find the source of the problem and fix it.

The HVAC experts you need for heat pump repair in Raleigh or Zebulon, NC are at Comfort Master Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.

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