Troubleshooting Heat Pump Problems

Heat pumps are the mechanical devices that are configured for transferring heat from one location (source) to another (sink). In most of the cases, they draw heat either from the atmospheric air or from underneath the Earth's surface.

The former type is called an air source heat pump, while the latter machinery is referred to as geothermal heat pump. Both these pumps help in cooling and heating the home in extreme environmental conditions.

A heat pump works by consuming a small amount of energy for transferring heat from an area with low temperature to another with a higher temperature. It is more energy efficient in comparison to heating and cooling devices, like furnaces and ACs. Nevertheless, like other machinery, there are certain problems, which may arise over a period of time. In this article, you will learn some methods of troubleshooting heat pump problems.

A brief knowledge about the parts of a pump will help in an easy diagnosis of the problems. The basic components include an evaporator (circulating fans), reversing valve, condenser (refrigerator coil), and a compressor. Prior to starting with the troubleshooting, turn off the power supply at the main circuit breaker.

If there is no heat production, then the problem may be due to failure in the main power supply or overloading of the motor. In order to troubleshoot this malfunction, check the power supply and thermostat and fix them (if necessary). In case there is power supply, reset the motor by pressing the reset button. Also, check the ignition for any defects. If none of these tips work, then you can hire a professional for proper fixation.

Insufficient heat production is one of the major problems. In most cases, it is caused due to obstructions in the air ducts. Other reasons for this defect may be low thermostat setting and presence of dirt in the air filters. You can check these systems to see whether they are functioning properly or not.

This can be caused by a lack of refrigerant, damage to the compressor, and dirty evaporator. On the contrary, high head pressure often results from overfeeding of the refrigerant and dirty condenser. Monitor these systems and recheck whether the heat pumps start working normally or not.

Freezing of the unit may be caused due to a faulty air blower or accumulation of dust and dirt in the filters and evaporators. For fixing this, check for the defrosting option in your unit. If there is, you can defrost it and check the compressor for any defects. Do not forget to check the calibration of the thermostat.

This is caused due to the reasons, like loose screws, improper fixation of the belts, and noise from the air ducts. To repair and troubleshoot this malfunction, you can tighten the screws, check the belts, and introduce a plastic insulation inside the metal air ducts.

Some of the effective servicing tips for minimizing these problems are regular wiping of the fan blades, tightening screws and bolts, and checking for loose wire connections. While speaking about the pros and cons, they are energy saving devices that run with a small amount of electricity. A major disadvantage of this system is its limitation to operate at a very low temperature.