If your home's heating and cooling systems are powered by a geothermal heat pump, you likely enjoy the low maintenance and minimal utility costs of this energy-efficient HVAC system. However, low-maintenance isn't maintenance-free -- and if your heat pump stops working just before you're planning to host a holiday gathering, you may be scrambling for solutions that can keep your home warm until you can hire a repair person at non-holiday rates. Read on to learn more about several quick fixes you can use to solve some of the more common issues that may arise for your geothermal heat pump.
If your heat pump runs, but shuts off quickly:
For situations in which your heat pump is indeed generating heat, you should breathe a sigh of relief -- however, having this heat shut off just a few seconds after turning on can be frustrating and won't do much to warm your home. In many cases, this premature cycle can be due to debris caught in the outside pump compressor. When this compressor's air supply is cut off, it can overheat quickly, damaging expensive components. Shutting down as soon as it becomes too hot helps the compressor preserve its lifespan.
Fully check the exterior compressor unit to make sure the fan blades or filter haven't picked up any leaves, twigs, or other debris. If grass has grown up around the compressor's air vents, you'll want to pull it or cut it enough to allow plenty of air flow to and from the compressor unit.
If your heat pump is only blowing cold air:
Turning on the heater and feeling frigid air come through the vents can be disconcerting. Fortunately, in some cases this issue is an easy fix.
If your area has recently undergone a snow storm, it's likely that the snow pooled around your compressor unit is lowering the temperature of the air produced. Clearing this snow away with a shovel or snow blower should allow your heater's temperatures to rise to more comfortable levels. A compressor that is partially or totally covered with ice following sleet storm may also cause heat pumps to begin blowing colder-than-normal air.
Once you've checked your compressor and eliminated any potential problems, you'll want to take a look at the air return register (usually located in your attic or basement). This register is designed to collect air to be sent through the compressor and heated. Unfortunately, when the air supply is very cold, the heat pump won't be able to raise it to thermostat temperatures. If your attic is poorly insulated and chilly or you've accidentally left your basement door open a crack, these cold parts of your home could be spreading their air throughout the rest of your home via your heat pump. Raising the temperature of the return air supply should help your pump start running normally again.
Contact a service like R & B Heating & Air Conditioning for further help.
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