Heat pumps are pretty common in our area. In fact, they tend to be perfect for our mild winters and our hot summers. But when customers start to depend on these systems, it’s only a matter of time before their own unique problems begin to crop up.
We’re not saying that heat pumps are more prone to problems than furnaces. In fact, most forced-air heating systems have around the same level of reliability as long as you’re purchasing a reputable model from a modern manufacturer. However, as a heat pump owner, you’re going to need to be on the lookout for a few unique issues that only come up with heat pumps, as opposed to other heating systems your neighbors or friends might have.
So, keep reading and make sure you stay vigilant for the next issue to come up with your heat pump system. Just make sure you contact our team for heating repair in Harvey, LA.
Your System Is Leaking Refrigerant
Heat pumps function differently from gas or electric furnaces. Sure, they both heat the air of a home, but a heat pump is going to rely on refrigerant to move heat into the air of your home, while a furnace would create new heat through electric resistance or combustion.
So, that means that when a heat pump starts running into issues, it could be due to the fact that it’s low on refrigerant. Heat pumps don’t use up refrigerant over time, it’s a completely closed-loop system, which means that you might be suffering from a refrigerant leak if that’s the issue.
Here are a couple of ways to specifically detect a refrigerant leak on your own.
- Hissing and bubbling. When refrigerant has leaked from a heat pump, it can make hissing or bubbling sounds. The hissing is due to the fact that gaseous refrigerant is leaking out of the refrigerant line. The bubbling is probably oxygen bubbles forming in the refrigerant line when it should be filled with refrigerant.
- The smell of refrigerant. Refrigerant has a sweet, chloroform-like scent which is easy to pick up with your nose when it’s leaking. It’s not toxic, so you don’t have to be worried about side effects.
Your Heat Pump Isn’t Running Efficiently
If your heat pump is running up the energy bill then something is wrong. Heat pumps are notoriously energy efficient, so much so that customers routinely seek them out for their high efficiency. So, if you’ve got one of these high-tech systems, and it’s not running efficiently, then something is seriously wrong and it requires professional attention.
There Are Uncomfortable Rooms in Your Home
Unless temperatures are reaching extremes (and even in most of those cases), your home should be made comfortable quite easily by a heat pump. If you’re recognizing that there are certain areas that are cold or hot, or that certain rooms are just not comfortable no matter what you enter into your thermostat, then we’d recommend calling a professional for repairs.
Natal’s HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical can provide heat pump repairs quickly and affordably. Contact us today. Service Honoring the Golden Rule!