Heat Pumps

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A heat pump looks and works much like a central air conditioner. It has a refrigeration system with an outdoor coil and compressor that are connected to a coil indoors. In winter, the outdoor unit extracts heat from air and delivers it to the indoor coil where it is carried throughout the house by a forced air system. In summer the process is reversed and the heat pump cools just like a central air conditioner. As a heating unit, a heat pump is effective only when the outdoor temperature is moderately cold. When it gets too cold for a unit to work efficiently it automatically switches to a supplementary heating source – usually a costly electric heating element. As a rule, don’t turn down the thermostat at night, the system will only have to switch to a more expensive supplemental heating to warm the house in the morning. If your system seems inefficient or expensive to run, consider adding space heaters or even installing a different heating system.

Troubleshooting A Heat Pump

Most of the problems you are likely to encounter with a heat pump are the same as the ones you would have with a central air conditioner. Here are some to look out for:

• If a thick, persistent frost forms on the outdoor coil, clean the coil and remove any obstructions such as leaves. Change the filter indoors.
• If ice forms on the coil and the unit doesn’t automatically defrost it, switch the thermostat to cooling mode for ten minutes before calling for service.
• If your heat turns on and off too frequently, check and clean the thermostat. Also check for a clogged filter and outdoor obstructions.
• If you smell an odor, check for a clogged drip pan on the indoor unit. Make sure it can drain freely.