How to Troubleshoot a Heat Pump

At some point in time, homeowners may experience repair bills of one type or another. Heat pump repair is no exception. You can try to save money by investigating possible solutions on your own. Apply these do-it-yourself heat pump troubleshooting steps before calling a service technician.

Things You'll Need

• Heat pump unit
• Thermostat
• Filters

Instructions

1. Check registers for airflow. Little or no airflow can be caused by dirty filters. Replace air filters monthly during the cooling and heating seasons.

2. Monitor how often the unit runs. Continuous heat pump operation can be caused by too high a thermostat setting, low refrigerant levels, cold drafts near the thermostat or debris blocking the outside unit. Reset the thermostat to a lower setting.

3. Make sure the air handler is getting power. Turn the fan switch from the "auto" position to the "on" position. The air handler is working if the blower runs.

4. Check the breakers in the unit breaker cabinet and in the main breaker cabinet. Reset any tripped breakers. If the breakers trip a second time, don't reset them. Call a professional service technician.

5. Maintain proper thermostat settings. Set the thermostat higher than actual room temperature for heat and lower than actual room temperature to cool the room. Change batteries often on programmable thermostats.

6. Call a professional service technician to handle complex air flow problems such as duct leaks, broken blower motors or belts.

Tips & Warnings

• Have your heat pump unit serviced annually to keep it running smoothly.

• Clear debris regularly from the outdoor unit to maintain proper heat pump maintenance.

• Avoid opening any electrical unit panels. High-voltage wiring is dangerous and should be handled by a professional service technician.

• Don't operate a heat pump unit for 6 to 8 hours after a power outage. Switch the pump to an emergency heat setting to keep from damaging the unit. Change the setting to normal after the 6 to 8 hours have elapsed.