During the winter time, when the outside temperatures are very low (freezing) and ice starts to build-up on the outdoor unit, the heat pump will automatically melt the ice or snow build-up utilizing the defrost cycle. 7 Possible Reasons Your Home Heater/Furnace Is Blowing Cold Air. Heat pumps are highly efficient to about 32°F. Your heat pump has a part built into it called the reversing valve. Items in red usually require a service call. Shovel away any snow that’s surrounding your heat pump's outdoor unit. If so, your heat pump is likely in defrost mode and you don’t need to call a technician. As outside temperatures drop, your heat pump must work harder to transfer the same amount of heat. Already tried to reset circuit breakers. Emergency Heat is typically triggered when it is 35°F and below outside. Check the manufacturer or EnergyGuide labels on the unit for the words “heat pump.” Look for the unit’s model number, then search the web with the brand name and model number to find more info on the unit. Heat pumps are typically located outside of the home and look like an air conditioner. And just like the previous complaint of Heat pump blowing cold air, some new heat pump owners may think their unit runs all the time because they aren't used to the longer run times and lower temperature output of a heat pump. 1.Your Heater hasn’t had time to warm up. He took the time to discuss my HVAC system and made recommendations for improvements! Wednesday, March 4th, 2015 at 10:59 am | Categories: Heating The work was done in a very professional and timely manner. Have you turned on your heat pump in the fall or winter and wondered, “Why is my heat pump blowing cold air?” A furnace typically puts out air at around 130 degrees, whereas warm air from a heat pump is only a little over 90 degrees on a moderately cold day. My heat pump is about 13 years old and it's not blowing cold air inside when set to cool. See, unlike furnaces that generate heat, heat pumps only transfer heat. During cold weather, the heat pump’s compressor (which is housed in the outdoor unit) will still run in order to place the refrigerant under high pressure and high heat. Why a Heat Pump Will Blow Cold Air. Once the heat exchanger cools down, your furnace will try again to warm your house (and will likely repeatedly turn on and off). When set to “ON” the fan will stay on even when your heat pump isn’t actually heating. If your heat pump system is blowing cold or room temperature air while the thermostat is set for heat mode, there are a few common situations you can resolve without even looking at heat pump itself. Please keep in mind that the information found on our website is provided free of charge and Hannabery HVAC does not assume any liability resulting from the information we provide. Heat pumps work much more gradually, and maintain comfort by keeping a steady flow of warm air circulating within the home. They are the kind of people you would invite to your house for dinner. Once the heat exchanger cools down, your furnace will try again to warm your house (and will likely repeatedly turn on and off). All rights reserved. Chris & Phil completed installing a new heat pump for our second floor. Ensure that there is actually a problem when your heat pump is blowing cold air . Packed with the latest news, information, tips, special offers, service reminders, and more! During the heating cycle, the the reversing valve is de-energized and the hot gases from the compressor are sent to the indoor coil, where they give up the heat to the air being conditioned. That's right, you are actually running the air conditioner. Heat Pump Repair in San Diego, CA. Yes, it does sound a little bizarre to run the air conditioning and back-up heat at the same time during the winter. Again, the heat pump needs to absorb heat from the outdoor air. Well this happens sometimes and a few things can be the cause. Your System Was Just Turned On. The rated outdoor temperature is the lowest temperature that the heat pump can still provide adequate heating for your home. OH Meanwhile, the outside air is redirected back into the outside environment as a blast of icy cold air. Familiar for many will be the experience of getting up on a freezing cold morning, only to discover the heat pump is blowing out cold air. The outdoor unit could be obstructed Clear away debris like grass clippings, sticks, leaves, and weeds. As heat from the air outside is transferred to that refrigerant, some excess moisture from the air builds up on your unit’s coils. That is the way they are designed to work. Make sure the thermostat is set to “AUTO”, not “ON”. The heat pump really is blowing cold air. You need a technician to correct this problem. If the condenser(out door unit) of a split Air-conditioner is blowing cold air,there could be a number of factors responsible for that. All rights reserved. The result of this action is not only the fog or vapor rising, but the specific “whoosh” sound, which is nothing unusual. Generally speaking, a heat pump … A friend of ours bought a new house recently. An outdoor unit absorbs warmth from the surrounding air and transfers it into your home. We have just created a simple heat pump. Don't panic if you see frost on your outside equipment's coil. Read More. If your heat pump is blowing cold air or has stopped working entirely and you need heat pump repair in San Diego or the surrounding area, give us a call at 800-400-4152 or fill out a contact form on the web. In other words, it's not putting out any heat at all. I'd recommend Hannabery HVAC to everyone. It's a statement heating and air conditioning pros hear every winter – "My heat pump is blowing cold air!" Some even thinking their outdoor fan motor burned-up, because when this is happening the fan actually stops running even though the compressor continues running, sometimes making a louder than normal sound. Help! Meanwhile, you’ll get cold air because the fan continues to run as a safety measure, even after the furnace isn’t producing heat. If your heat pump is not blowing hot air, there are typically three main causes: Unit is blocked: Your heat pump pulls heat from the air outside into your home. Luckily, the solution is simple. Imagine turning that window unit around and blowing the hot air inside the house. Think about a window air conditioner. The rated outdoor temperature is the lowest temperature that the heat pump can still provide adequate heating for your home. That includes electrical problems such as bad compressor contactor. Coronavirus Update: We care about your health and continue to service our customers safely. Moisture in the air condenses on the heat exchanger. It happens regularly during the heating season. But a problem just came up. But if the outdoor unit has no power, your blower just blows … There are a few reasons your heat pump could be blowing cold air. I would recommend them to anybody in the neighborhood. If you read our blog about how a heat pump works, you’ll know that heat pumps use refrigerant to absorb heat from the air outside – even when it’s cold out. A fan that is not running may have problems with any of a variety of components. Once your outdoor unit has defrosted, your heat pump will return to transferring heat into your home rather than to your outdoor unit. Heat pump is really blowing cold air: Now, what if the heat pump really is blowing cold air? * 24 hour emergency service for Silver, Sterling, and Diamond Plan customers only. © 1997-2021 Hannabery HVAC. Also the reversing valve shifts from the heating mode to the air conditioning mode. While there may be a chance the system … Next, check your outdoor unit is not iced over (see Heat Pump Troubleshooting Problem #1). Check your air filter. 2) Ensure there are no obstructions around the heat pump condensing unit located outside. It then delivers this heat inside to keep you warm. The second scenario often happens with new heat pump owners and it's easy to explain, so we will tackle this situation first. Ductless Mini Split Heating and Air Conditioning, When Furnace Replacement Is Your Best Option for Heating. The problem could be a bad defrost controller outdoors. Heat pump will not blow cold air but the fans are running. Don't panic if steam comes out of the top of the outside equipment. However, if your heat pump doesn’t return to heating mode and you’re noticing cool air for a … Items in blue however can be addressed, some even fixed by the homeowner. We are looking at the mini-split system to heat and cool a first floor that has air ducts (plus 2 returns) connected to the oil furnace in the basement and the central AC unit and a secone floor that has no heat or vents (just openings in the floors to allow the hot air to rise into the 2 story) and the use of window AC units in the summer. While there may be a chance the system … Our heat pump repair professionals can have your heat pump working like new again in no time. The fans in the outdoor unit must also run in order to draw the outside air across the coils where the refrigerant absorbs its heat through evaporation and then takes it indoors. During cool temperatures, a heat pump draws ambient warmth from the outside air using refrigerant and then moves it indoors. Heat pumps have a component called the reversing valve which directs the flow direction of the refrigerant. In extremely cold weather conditions, a properly working heat pump will run almost continuously. If the airflow to your unit is blocked by snow, ice, leaves or another type of debris, this can make it hard for the heat pump … This helps build-up more pressure and heat to melt the ice. Do I need a new thermostat or to fix the a/c unit? You need JavaScript enabled to view this site properly. It seems pretty warm, but 80 degrees is much cooler than the average body temperature (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and could feel like cold air blowing into the home. The air source heat pumps extract the heat from the outside masses of air and transfer it to the pump’s indoor unit compressor. A heat pump is a device that uses a fan to move hot or cold air throughout the home; during the summer it moves warm air from the inside of the house to the outside to cool the home, while during the winter it pulls air from the outside, heats it, then moves it indoors. Heat pumps actually blow air that is warm but feels cold to us. My heat pump will not... My heat pump will not blow cold air but the fans are running.