Heat pumps offer the versatility to warm and cool your home, so when they fail to perform this function as intended, this could indicate an issue with their reversing valve.
Breaker or fuse trips or blowouts that occur frequently could indicate that electrical circuits for your heat pump are being disrupted, which could be potentially hazardous and require professional assistance for diagnosis and repair.
If you’re tired of dealing with a noisy heat pump, it’s crucial to get it checked out by a team of professionals.
1. Strange noises
Have you recently moved into a new home? You might be surprised to find your heat pump making some unfamiliar noises. While some sounds might be completely normal, others could indicate something is amiss with the system. If any unexpected sounds become evident in your system, take swift action as soon as possible to address them.
Vibrating noises are commonly caused by compressor or air handler components coming into contact with uneven surfaces, which you can solve by installing rubber pads beneath your heat pump or adjusting ductwork accordingly. If the noise persists, however, additional components or your entire unit may need to be changed for optimal operation.
Grinds or buzzes should also be kept an ear out for, as these might signal that your equipment needs lubrication or that there’s debris clogging up parts of its system. Shrieking sounds indicate high pressure in the compressor system, which could prove fatal; hissing sounds indicate refrigerant leakage, which requires 24-hour repair services to resolve.
A sound that should alarm you includes rattling, flapping, and screeching noises coming from your heat pump is also cause for alarm; they could indicate something amiss with it that could put both you and your family at risk.
2. Strange smells
Not only should you monitor for unusual sounds coming from your heat pump, but you should also pay close attention to its smells. Musty or rotting aromas could indicate mold growth, posing significant health risks to yourself and your family.
Detecting unusual smells emanating from your heat pump is an indicator that something needs to be fixed. A burning smell could indicate electrical issues in your system that pose potential threats; should this occur, turn off your heat pump immediately and wait until an HVAC professional has evaluated and repaired it before turning it back on again.
Musty or rotting smells indicate that an animal has crawled inside and died inside of it, while any smell that suggests plastic burnt could indicate overheating of your heating system.
Finally, an unusual rotten egg odor could indicate natural gas leakage; since gas is highly toxic for human health purposes, suppliers must add an odor-inducing chemical known as methyl mercaptan so homeowners can detect its presence quickly enough so they can detect an imminent gas leak before it becomes an emergency.
3. Increased energy bill
If your energy bill is significantly increasing than expected, your heat pump is likely the culprit. An excessively high bill could indicate that your thermostat setting is either too high or low, requiring it to work in order to maintain an ideal temperature – with each run becoming less efficient as more and more energy is used by it, resulting in increased costs and even system breakdown.
An increasing bill could also indicate a malfunctioning blower motor responsible for air dispersion through your home, which requires professional assistance to rectify. Furthermore, low refrigerant levels could hinder its efficiency in cooling your home effectively.
4. Frequent needs for repairs
If you find yourself calling to schedule heat pump repair service more frequently than expected, that could indicate that your system has begun to break down. Most likely, this means some sort of electrical issue, which should not be ignored due to the potential fire risk.
Be mindful if your heat pump usually functions but your home doesn’t seem warm or cool enough. This could be caused by air pressure imbalance due to dirty filters, clogged outdoor units, blocked blower motors, or other technical issues, so getting professional heat pump servicing every spring and fall is a good idea.
Heat pump technicians can catch numerous minor issues during maintenance that would otherwise turn into costly and inconvenient repairs down the line.
Thus, if your heat pump is over ten years old and frequently experiencing repair bills, frequent replacement may be wise, as older units are less energy-efficient than newer models. Plus, paying hundreds in repairs becomes financially untenable over time; investing in a new heat pump will pay for itself by decreasing energy bills while providing greater comfort.
