The very last thing you want to have happen during a record-breaking summer heatwave is to have your heat pump output drop. If your heat pump isn’t putting out as much cool air as it should be, there could be a number of different reasons why. Let’s take a look at some of the more common reasons why your heat pump output might be low, and what can be done to fix them.
Refrigerant Leaks
A heat pump evaporates and condenses refrigerant during operation, constantly recycling it back and forth to move heat from one place to another. A refrigerant leak will drain the heat pump of the fluid that it absolutely needs in order to cool your home. This will cause a drop in output over time. Call for repairs if you see fluid dipping from your heat pump.
Ice
If the flow of air to the heat pump’s evaporator coil is blocked for whatever reason, the part can eventually freeze over. While the coil is frozen over, it will be unable to access the thermal energy in your home’s air in order to siphon it off. This will result in an output drop. The ice can also spread down the refrigerant line to other parts of the system, causing them to malfunction and break down. So, it’s best that you call for repairs if you notice this problem.
Reversing Valve Issues
Finally, it’s possible that your heat pump is just stuck in heating mode. The reversing valve is the valve that determines the direction of refrigerant through the system. If the valve becomes stuck, the heat pump will become stuck in whatever mode it was in at the time. If your heat pump is putting out hot air, this is probably the reason.
Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing offers heat pump repair services throughout Rockville, MD.