Your heat pump is a vital part of your home’s heating and cooling system, providing year-round heat and cooling. However, sometimes it feels like your heat pump isn’t switching modes. During the cold winter months, there is nothing worse than feeling like your reliable heat pump is stuck in a cooling mode, as if the reversing valve isn’t working properly. Let’s explore 4 potential causes of this issue. 

Leak of Refrigerant 

What may appear to be a heat pump that won't switch modes is actually a common problem with air conditioners. If you've ever had a central air conditioner, you've probably experienced it not blowing cool air due to a refrigerant leak. 

Your heat pump uses the same technology as your air conditioner and requires refrigerant to operate. If you don't have enough refrigerant in your heat pump, it won't be able to produce heat. This will reduce your system's efficiency. If the refrigerant leak is severe, your heat pump will not be able to produce heat.

Thermostat Malfunction 

Sometimes what appears to be a heat pump problem is actually a communication failure between your heat pump and your thermostat. In other cases, your thermostat may be misinterpreting the temperature of your home. If your thermostat thinks your home is warmer than it actually is, it will not produce heat. Recalibrating a thermostat can be difficult for the untrained. However, for HVAC professionals, thermostat errors are relatively easy to fix without damaging your thermostat. 

Electrical and Wiring Issues 

A heat pump is a complex piece of equipment that requires many electrical components to function properly. If these components are not working properly, they can cause your heat pump to not produce enough heat.

Electrical problems can occur from time to time and can vary in severity depending on the extent of the repair. It is best to work with a professional team to fix any wiring problems that may be causing your heat pump to malfunction. 

Faulty Reversing Valve 

A "stuck" heat pump is most likely caused by a malfunctioning reversing valve. This is the part of your heat pump that separates it from your handler. The reversing valve is responsible for changing the direction of your refrigerant flow from heating to cooling and vice versa.

If your heat pump isn't producing heat, it could be because of this component. Fortunately, a broken reversing valve can be easily replaced with a new one by qualified HVAC technicians, so you should be able to get your heat back on in no time.

Whatever the cause, your trusted HVAC contractor AC Comfort HVAC LLC will get to the bottom of why your heat pump isn't switching modes and get your Philadelphia home running like it should again. All you have to do is leave your application, and we will take care of your heat pump problem.