A malfunctioning heat pump can cause your energy bills to skyrocket, make your home feel uncomfortable, and even damage the HVAC system. If you notice your heat pump is not blowing cold air into your home, it’s important to take some steps to troubleshoot the problem. Poston Brothers Heating & Cooling walks you through troubleshooting a heat pump not blowing cold air as well as what problems require professional help to fix.

Check the Air Filter

The first thing you should check if your heat pump is not blowing cold air is the system’s air filter. A dirty air filter restricts air coming from the blower and it may feel like you don’t receive cool air from the vents in the home. To check, remove the existing filter and look to see if its surface is completely full of dirt, dust, and other debris. If so, replace the filter with a fresh one. You can buy air filters at most hardware stores.

Check the Thermostat

Another heat pump troubleshooting tip you can try when your heat pump is not blowing cold air is to check your thermostat settings. Make sure the thermostat is set to the cooling mode and that the fan is set to AUTO (so it only cycles with the heat pump and doesn’t blow out warm air in between cycles). If you still feel like you have a heat pump not cooling, lower the temperature by a few degrees to see if cool air is produced and the room temperature becomes cooler.

Clean the Coils

One common reason a heat pump system may not be blowing cold air is because of a build-up of debris on the outdoor condenser coils. The common debris you can find on these coils could be anything from leaves and twigs to insects and pests. When debris accumulates, it can restrict the coils’ ability to release heat – a necessary part of the cooling process.

If you’re experiencing this issue, your best bet is to turn off your heat pump and take a look at the outdoor unit yourself. You can turn off the heat pump at the power switch or at the circuit breaker. If the coils appear dirty, it’s best to schedule a maintenance tune-up to have them cleaned by an HVAC technician. Clean away all debris from the outer fins of your heat pump to keep dirt and grime away from the coils as much as possible.

When to Call a Professional

When you find the heat pump not cooling your home, another heat pump troubleshooting tip you can try before calling a professional. However, not all issues can be fixed so simply and some require solutions performed by an HVAC technician. Common heat pump problems that should be addressed only by a professional HVAC technician include:

  • Low Refrigerant: Low refrigerant levels can prevent the heat pump from working correctly. Frozen coils can also be a sign of this problem. A technician will find and repair any leaks causing your heat pump to lose refrigerant and recharge the unit with the proper volume of refrigerant for efficient operation.
  • Reversing Valve Issues: The reversing valve is responsible for the direction of the unit’s operation, so if it’s not working properly, the heat pump won’t be able to cool your home correctly. If the reversing valve is stuck and running your system as if it is heating the home, this may be why you have a heat pump not blowing cold air. A technician can repair or replace this component.

Call Poston Brothers for Heat Pump Repair

No matter your heat pump problems, whether your heat pump is blowing hot air or your heat pump isn’t working correctly at all, you can count on the team at Poston Brothers for heat pump repairs in the Burlington, KY. Try some of our troubleshooting tips first to see if you can solve the problem on your own. But not every problem is fixable without the help of a professional technician, and that’s when you can call Poston Brothers Heating & Cooling for heat pump repairs. Schedule an appointment today.