A heat pump isn’t supposed to supply cold air inside your house in the winter. If yours is doing so, then it’s not working in the proper way and you need a heat pump repair service to fix it.

Here are some solutions that you can try if your heat pump doesn’t seem to work properly in the winter.

Check the Mode

After every season, you have to adjust the thermostat manually to change the mode of your HVAC system according to the upcoming season. For example, you’ll have to change the settings from cooling to heating when you’re preparing for the winter season. So, before you rush to call a repair company, see if you have left the thermostat unaltered from the last season.

Check to analyze the situation, if your heat pump is supplying cool air, you’ll have to change the thermostat to heating for the winter. However, if you’ve changed the thermostat settings and there still seems to be no change, the thermostat might be broken. In this situation, you’ll have to invest in a new thermostat. They can be bought for as little as $20, but can get really expensive depending on your exact needs. You should invest in a feature packed thermostat if the current one is too old; this will improve your experience manifolds.

The Filter Might Be Dirty

The first thing you should always see if the heat pump isn’t working properly is its air filter. Replacing the air filter, especially if it’s filled with dust, will immediately restore the working of your HVAC system.

Air filter, as you might already know it, is designed to capture all the dust and harmful particles in the outside air that is entering your house through the HVAC system. That is why it can get clogged over time.

Usually when you have a blocked air filter, the best thing you can do is to replace it. However, you can also use a brush to clean the existing filter, tap it on the ground and fix it back to temporarily make it work again. If, due to any reason, you can’t buy a new air filter or clean it, you can run the HVAC for some time unharmed even without a filter.

Insufficient Refrigerant

Every HVAC system uses refrigerant to keep working properly. This refrigerant decreases in quantity over time, and a leak can also cause the refrigerant level to go down very quickly. The indoor coil has refrigerant that helps in capturing the heat from inside. Then the heat travels through a line to the outside radiator coil. This coil is blown by a fan, and that is how the refrigerant plays its role in keeping your house warm during winter.

No matter how its level gets low, small amounts of refrigerant always fails to do its job in the required time. This causes the HVAC to provide very poor heating inside the house.

A refrigerant leak should only be handled by the professionals who are licensed to do the HVAC related repair works. They might also have a sensor to detect and repair a leak. These leaks can cost you from $250 to $2000 depending on their severity.

Dirty Coils

The coil inside your HVAC system can get damaged due to a number of reasons. Usually, it’s due to the dirt, dust, fibers, insects and tens of other things that can get stranded inside these coils. Remember that the coils are responsible to disperse the air in your house, and that’s why they should be completely clean.

For the outside coils, you can use a regular water hose (with no increased pressure). Small debris will easily be removed with the help of water, the others, you can remove by using paint brush or something gentle like that. However, the indoor coils are harder to get to, and that’s why you can call an experienced and reputable HVAC technician to take care of them. You should get both the coils cleaned for a thorough maintenance cleanup.

This might cost you anywhere from $50 to $200.

While the heat pump repairs might vary in their costs, you should always consult with HVAC companies Arlington VA about how a certain repair would affect the working of your heat pump. Some repairs are simply too costly, and you can replace your old HVAC system instead of getting those repairs.