Heat Pump Not Turning On Or Off
If your heat pump isnt turning on or off, it likely indicates a system issue. Your thermostat controls your heat pump, so if the heat pump isnt turning on or off it could be because your thermostat isnt able to relay that message to the heat pump. Alternatively, a power loss, or electrical problem could be causing the issue.
Fan On The Furnace Or Air Handler Not Activating
If your outdoor unit is running, but you dont feel any air coming from the registers, your indoor air handler may not be activating. Heat pump troubleshooting for common problems that can cause your indoor unit to not kick on include looking for:
Circuit breaker tripped Your indoor and outdoor units are on separate breakers. If your indoor air handler isnt turning on, check your homes electrical panel for a tripped circuit breaker. Follow standard safety precautions to reset the breaker. If it continues to trip, contact a professional.
Bad wiring connection A malfunctioning air handler may be the result of a burnt out or disconnected wire. Contact your local Carrier dealer to diagnose and repair.
Blown blower motor If the blower motor is burnt out, contact a trusted, local HVAC technician to thoroughly check your system, determine why the motor is blown, and estimate repair and replacement costs.
As you can see, heat pump problems arent always connected to the outdoor unit.
Why Does My Heat Pump Fan Not Turn On
Homeowners often find themselves facing issues with their heat pump system. Those issues can extend from the fan or pump not working as intended, or a total failure of the heat pump system.
When the heat pump is running but the fans are not spinning, it is advisable to first check whether there is any debris.
This is not a complicated step, but you must turn off the power before attempting to remove any potential obstacles from the unit, as the fans could cause collateral damage to the user.
Then, remove the top of the heat pump cabinet and check for any potential sticks or critters blocking the fans. Once removed, do not forget to turn the power back on. If the issue persists, here are some potential problems that could cause your fan to not spin.
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Is Your Heat Pump Not Working Correctly
As the temperatures start to cool, its time to turn up the heat. When it works, you dont even give it a second thought. However, if your heat pump isnt putting out the heat to keep you warm, there might be a problem. If your system isnt providing the room temps youve set on your thermostat or it seems like its taking way too long to heat up the room, its time to do a little diagnosis.
Ways To Reset Your Furnace Or Heat Pump
Cold air has infiltrated Arlington Heights, IL, which means that its time to rely on your homes heating system for relief. If your furnace or heat pump wont respond, resetting it often does the trick. Although each make and model of heat pump or furnace will have a slightly different process for resetting, heres how to get started and restore comfort to your home.
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Heat Pump Making Unusual Noises
If you hear strange noises coming from your heat pump, its likely a sign theres a problem. These strange, not normal noises include, but arent limited to, banging, screeching, rattling, buzzing, grinding, or gurgling. If you hear any of these sounds, extremely loud sounds, or prolonged sounds coming from your heat pump, it could be a sign of electrical issues or system failure.
Circuit Breaker Is Tripped
It is feasible there is an electrical issue, or lack of electricity, causing your heat pump to not heat your house. Check your electrical panel to make sure no breakers have been switched off.
The indoor unit and outside unit would run on separate breakers, so look if either or both have been tripped somehow. If the breakers keep tripping, call an electrician or HVAC professional to ensure the wiring is intact properly.
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Indoor Air Handler Not Working
An air handler works in conjunction with your heat pump to distribute air inside your home. If your outdoor unit is running, but you dont feel any air coming from the registers, your indoor air handler may not be running.
Some reasons your indoor air handler is not activating include:
- Tripped Circuit Breaker
Your indoor and outdoor units have separate electrical connections. Check the circuit breaker for your indoor unit and see if it has tripped. Also, keep an eye out for any blown fuses.
If your air conditioners circuit breaker keeps tripping, then check this article for ten possible causes!
- Bad Wiring Connection
You could also have loose or frayed wires that are preventing power from reaching the indoor air handler.
- Blown Blower Motor
The worst-case scenario is that you have a blown blower motor. The blower motor is responsible for circulating air throughout your house. A blown blower motor means that the heat pump cannot distribute air throughout your home. Unfortunately, you cannot replace a blown blower motor on your own. Instead, you must contact an HVAC professional to do the job for you.
Check If Your Outdoor Coil Is Frozen Over
If your outdoor coil is covered with ice, airflow is blocked, and the coil becomes much less effective.
This means the heat pump has to work harder, often so hard that it shuts down.
If your outdoor coil is iced over, do not chip the ice off as that is likely to damage the refrigerator coils and fins. Shut the system down until the ice melts off and until you determine what is causing the problem.
Some reasons your outdoor coil might be frozen over include:
Water Leaks and Storms
Icy water spilling from a gutter running off a roof can easily overwhelm an outdoor coils defrost capabilities. Fix any water leaks or runoff issues that may be causing a problem.
Not only can leaky or overflowing gutters lead to water on your outdoor coil, they can also produce large icicles that can do serious damage to your system if they fall.
Ice storms and heavy snows can also lead to freezing. After a snowstorm, ensure a 2-foot clear radius around your coil for proper air circulation.
Air Circulation Blockage
Wet fallen leaves or a snowdrift can block air circulation and interfere with the HVACs heating and cooling functions.
Clear away anything blocking the outdoor coils air circulation. Let the ice melt before restarting the heat pump.
You may also consider building a shelter around your coil to protect it from the elements. A canopy will make your system run more efficiently in both summer and winter, but be sure you have at least 2 feet of clearance on all sides and the top.
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Did Your Outside Ac Unit Break Down But The Inside Unit Still Runs
Your split-system cooling system wonât work unless both units â the indoor evaporator and the outdoor condenser/compressor â are operating. If the outside unit stops working, but the inside unit continues to run with the blower fan operating, youâre still out of luck.
The system wonât cool your unless both sides of the system are working. When one side of the system isnât working, try the following:
- Make sure the AC hasnât been turned off. Typically, thereâs an on-off switch in a small box near the outside unit.
- Check the circuit box in your home to make sure the breaker for the outside unit hasnât tripped. If it has, turn it all the way off, then flip it back on. If this happens more than once, youâll want a licensed electrician to determine why the breaker keeps tripping. This could be a fire or safety hazard in the making.
- Make sure the thermostat is set to âcoolâ and the temperature setting is lower than the room temperature. Properly adjusting the thermostat is a lot simpler than calling in air conditioning service.
The Entire Ac Unit Isnt Working
The worst case scenario? While you are trying to determine whats going on with your AC, you might find that in addition to the outside fans not spinning, the rest of the outside unit might also have a problem. It may, for instance, not turn on, have problems turning on or make unusual noises once its turned on. When you have no air coming out of your vents, you will likely need to call in a licensed HVAC professional. That being said, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try first,
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The Device May Need Professional Care
As a final note on why your fan may not be running, sometimes being out of your depth on a repair can happen. In that case, it may be wise to get a hold of a professional to check these problems for you.
While it may be costly, it beats damaging your heat pump trying to do it yourself, or worse, injuring yourself in the process.
Heat Pump Check #: Is The Fan Or Blower Running At All
If you cannot hear the fan turn on when you raise the temperature, check that your heat pump is getting power. First, make sure the wiring to the thermostat looks fine. Are there some loose wires? Is the thermostat firmly attached to the wall? Are the batteries dead?
Next, go to your fuse box and make sure the breaker wasnt tripped and you havent blown a fuse. either of the two circuit breakers that handle the power sent to the air handler and heat pump condenser may have tripped. Check both. If you notice one of the breakers was tripped, turn it all the way off and back on again to reset. If you see that the circuit breaker trips again, there might be a short int he electrical system and you will need to call a technician to fix the electrical system that provides power to the area.
If on the fan is running, try turning on the emergency heat. Again, make sure that you set the temperature 5 degrees above the current temperature and see if warm air is now coming out of the vents. If you can feel warm air, that means the problem is with your outside unit.
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Constantly Running Heat Pump
Its possible that too much cold air is getting in the house for the heat pump to keep up. When was the last time you winterized your home? Its not too late.
Here are some tips for keeping the expensive heat in and cold air out:
- Make sure your doors and windows are closed and well-insulated. Check for air leaks around the perimeter of your doors and windows. If there is air movement, replace the weatherstripping.
Learn more insulation and air sealing solutions.
Taking Care Of Problem Two With The Condenser Fan Motor Not Turning
A bad dual-run capacitor. The top of the capacitor is all swelled up rather than being flat.
The next possible problem that can occur with the condenser fan motor not turning is a bad run capacitor. Again, I advise you to call a professional to take care of this problem as we are dealing with high voltage and capacitors. That is a run capacitor for the condenser fan motor, and it will hold a charge and shock you even with the power turned off.
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Diagnose & Troubleshoot Basic Heat Pump Problems
Your heat pump operates just like a central air conditioner with the added benefit of providing heat for your home during the winter season. Some of the common issues covered in this heat pump troubleshooting guide include:
- Blowing cold air in heat mode
- Heat pump running constantly in moderate weather
- Outdoor unit is blocked
- Fan on the indoor air handler not activating
Proper Maintenance Will Minimize Ac Issues
The best way to reduce the chances of your cooling system going on the fritz â whether itâs the inside or outside unit â is regular maintenance. This means simple tasks done by you the homeowner and annual professional maintenance.
As is the case with heating systems, yearly maintenance is highly recommended for central air conditioning systems. If you can us, ask about the Jansen Heating & Cooling Maintenance Club. This membership not only ensures discounted preventative maintenance on a set schedule, but also makes sure that requirements of your system manufacturerâs warrantee will be met.
We will always provide you with a price quote for the work. Once you agree to the quoted price , the work should be completed promptly and effectively, and your family will be happy once again.
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Outdoor Unit Is Blocked
Your heat pump system needs unrestricted air flow through the outdoor coil to work efficiently and effectively. If your system is not heating effectively or if it is running constantly, check the outdoor unit for excessive debris such as leaves or snow blockages. If the unit is blocked or obstructed in any way, remove the source of the blockage, then resume monitoring the temperature inside. If you still have issues, and have followed the remaining troubleshooting tips, its time to contact a professional. Remember, fixing a smaller issue now is better than waiting for a bigger issue and bigger bill later.
The Thermostat Has Stopped Working
Check the thermostat for any malfunction before you check the outdoor unit. It could have been set incorrectly. This is when you adjust it to cool when it should be hot, or vice versa. If this is the case, set it back correctly to the desired temperature.
Also, if your thermostat is in emergency mode, it may shut down most of the operations of your heat pump. This can be solved by resetting your heat pump.
But if the setting is not the issue, you may have to call a professional to check the installation for any problems, some of which include:
- The thermostat is incompatible with your heat pump.
- If your thermostat is not wired correctly, it could get fried and cause the unit not to function.
- The thermostat is not transmitting signals to your heat pump.
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Heat Pump Running Constantly In Moderate Weather
Because your heat pump relies on heating energy from outdoor air, it can be completely normal for a unit to run all the time in extreme temperatures as it tries to extract enough heat for your home. But if the temperature outside is moderately warm, and the unit is still struggling or constantly running, its time to do a little heat pump troubleshooting.
Check your thermostat Begin by checking the thermostat settings. Is the heat pump set on air conditioning mode? If so, changing to the heat setting should fix the problem.
System tune-up If its not a thermostat setting, your heat pump may need a tune-up. Having your heat pump serviced regularly by a professional, qualified HVAC technician can provide higher efficiency operation and more reliable comfort. One service typically offered during routine maintenance is cleaning your outdoor coil. If the coil is extremely dirty, your system may have trouble keeping up with heating demand.
Clean/replace air filter Another service your HVAC tech may perform is checking the air filter located in or near your indoor air handler unit. A dirty or clogged air filter can cause the system to run longer and less effectively. It should be cleaned or replaced. This is something you can easily do yourself as well. For more information about the benefits of routine system maintenance, take a look at our heat pump service page.
- low refrigerant charge
- compressor issue
Is Your Heat Pump Not Working Properly Try These 3 Quick Fixes
As the weather in Raleigh starts dipping down, the heat not working in your home is sure to get your attention. As with furnaces, a heat pump not working can often turn out to be an easy fix if you know what to check for. Here are 3 simple heat pump fixes you can do yourself before you call your heating and cooling company to come and take a look.
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Blower Relay Switch Malfunctions
We havent touched base on the air handler very much throughout this article, but now we are finally coming full circle with an issue that may affect it, which comes in the form of a malfunction in the blower motor relays.
If you are unlucky enough for such an issue to occur, you would be on the receiving end of a fan that refuses to quit.
While this may be an admirable issue initially, the continuous effort of running without limitation will inevitably cause further damage to the motor itself. It will operate without being regulated by the thermostat.
Once again, this probably falls within the umbrella category of being larger than life fix for most normal people, and as such, you will want to have someone with some practical training under their belt to handle the problem for you.
Lennox Heat Pump Troubleshooting
Lennox heat pumps offer a wide scale of SEER ratings, models, and warranty options. Depending on what matters most to your family, several units are designed with ultra-quiet operating systems.
If any component of your unit fails, Lennox recommends starting with basic facts to determine if its best to repair or replace your broken heat pump. Knowing the age, cost of repair, and the current systems energy efficiency will help you make the best investment decision for your home.
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