It’s that time of year when your heat pump begins to perform the other half of its job: providing you with steady cooling power. With just a simple change on the thermostat, the heating system that kept you warm during the rainy and overcast winter days will change over to a powerful cooling system.
But you might switch your heat pump to cooling mode only to discover that the air from your vents isn’t crisp and cool at all. It’s still heated or lukewarm. What’s wrong? And what can you do about it?
We’ll look at possible culprits for a heat pump that isn’t cooling. In most cases, you’ll need professional work to remedy the problem. For repairs on your heat pump in Wesley Chapel, FL, call the skilled team at Ierna’s Heating & Cooling.
Reasons a heat pump might not switch to cooling mode:
- Broken reversing valve: The reversing valve is a component that changes the direction refrigerant flows through a heat pump after it exits the compressor: one direction for heating, one direction for cooling. This is the key difference between a heat pump and a standard air conditioner. If the reversing valve breaks, the heat pump will become fixed in one mode until you replace it with a new valve.
- Malfunctioning thermostat: The thermostat may indicate that it has turned on cooling mode, but if the thermostat has lost its connection to the unit because of loose or frayed wires, then nothing that you do with the setting will change the heat pump out of heating mode. A technician can restore the thermostat’s connection to the system. You may also consider replacing the thermostat unit with an upgraded model.
- Loss of refrigerant: If the air coming from the vents feels lukewarm, as if the heat pump is struggling to provide cool air but failing, then the pump may actually have switched over to cooling mode but loss of refrigerant due to a leak is preventing it from effectively cooling the air. A technician can locate the leak, seal it, and recharge the lost refrigerant.
The worst thing you can do for a heat pump that won’t change to cooling mode is to “wait it out,” hoping the system will fix itself and the cool air will start flowing from the vents again. This rarely happens, and the problem will likely worsen: malfunctions can spread and cause additional repair needs. Call in the specialists to fix the problem as soon as possible.
Ierna’s Heating & Cooling can help your heat pump in Wesley Chapel, FL no matter its troubles. Our trained staff is ready with 24-hour service.