Your Comfort is Our Priority!
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Your Comfort is Our Priority!
Emergency Service
If you have a heat pump, you may be tempted to only schedule maintenance for the system once per year, if not less often. However, your heat pump really needs maintenance twice each year.
If you’re wondering why heat pump maintenance is so important, you can keep reading to learn more about these unique HVAC systems. Then give our team a call to schedule your service if you haven’t already this year. It’s never too late to begin investing in heat pump maintenance.
We still have a couple months before the weather starts to cool off around here, but there are still a couple of things that you need to keep in mind for the upcoming heating season. If you’re using a heat pump in your home, you’ve probably been running it for quite a few hours a day over the last few months. That kind of heavy usage tends to increase wear and tear significantly, which is why it’s important to schedule maintenance both during spring and fall. Read on to find out more.
Heat pumps are well known for their ability to switch between heating and cooling modes. In fact, it’s the primary reason that most people install them in the first place. However, that ability also opens them up to a unique problem that other climate control systems don’t have: getting stuck in one mode. If you’re trying to stay cool this summer, and your heat pump is stuck in one mode, read on to find out why.
You press the “heat” button on your dual-mode thermostat only to feel cool air come from your heat pump. While we may not be as cold as other parts of the country, our nights are getting chilly, and no one wants to add to that chilly air with more chilly air. Why is your heat pump stuck in the cooling mode? Because something has happened with the reversing valve, and you’ll need to call for heat pump repair in St. Augustine.
What Is the Reversing Valve?
The reversing valve is a component that allows your heat pump to change from heating to cooling and back again by changing the directional flow of the system’s refrigerant. The reversing valve is a medium-sized metal tube with four nozzles – three on the bottom and one on top. There is also a small electronic component on top of the pump called a solenoid. This component helps push the sliding mechanism inside the reversing valve from side to side as needed so that the refrigerant flow can change direction.
A “Stuck” Reversing Valve
The reversing valve is a complex component, and sometimes it can get stuck, either in a mode or in between modes. There a few reasons why a reversing valve can become stuck:
The main reason for a solenoid to malfunction is because one or both of the wires in the component fray or become corroded; the good news is that a solenoid can be replaced. But should a refrigerant leak develop within the valve, the valve will need to be replaced. Thermostats can also suffer from frayed and corroded wiring, and they can also malfunction due to too much dust or dirt on the instrumentation. In a worst-case scenario, the thermostat can also be replaced. Lastly, should the sliding mechanism malfunction, there is no way to repair it and the valve will need to be replaced.
If your heat pump is stuck in any way, call for heat pump repair in St. Augustine. The trained experts at Climate Masters can help with any issue you may have, so call us today!
A heat pump seems like an almost miraculous machine: a single unit that takes the principles of an air conditioner and uses it to provide heating as well. But in theory a heat pump is quite simple: if you’ve ever walked behind the outdoor unit of an air conditioner when it was working, you’ve noticed warm air blowing from its fans. That’s the action of the AC removing heat from indoors and placing it outdoors. So what would happen if you swapped the indoor and outdoor unit? Presto! Heat pumped into your home. A heat pump is essentially an air conditioner that can switch the direction it moves heat.
But there’s another important advantage to a heat pump aside from its dual function: a heat pump can save you money on heating during the winter. We’ll explain how this works. If you’re interested in heat pump installation, or if you have need for repairs or maintenance on your home heating in St. Augustine, FL, call the skilled technicians at Climate Masters today.
Okay, it’s not really a “secret.” It’s simply the difference between heat creation and heat exchange. Most heating systems create heat: they burn a fuel source to raise the temperature of air (a furnace) or water (a boiler). This uses a large amount of fuel. In the case of an electric furnace or boiler, it requires an enormous amount of electric current running through the heating elements in order to raise the temperature of the air or water.
It’s different with heat pumps. They also run on electricity, but they do not use this electricity to heat up the air the fans send through their vents. Instead of creating heat, heat pumps move heat around: from the outside to the inside in heating mode, and from the inside to the outside in cooling mode. This process is called heat exchange. The heat pump only needs electricity to run its mechanical parts.
How much of a difference does this make? The U.S. EPA conducted a study to see the difference in heating bills when families switched from a furnace to a heat pump. On average, families paid 30% less per year with a heat pump.
Yes, heat pumps do have one negative… but fortunately, it isn’t one that matters much in Florida. During sub-freezing temperatures, heat pumps can have trouble extracting sufficient heat from outside. Don’t expect this to be a problem in our climate.
Please keep in mind that no matter what advantages a heat pump has, it isn’t necessarily the best choice for your home’s heating in St. Augustine. This is why you’ll need the assistance of experienced professionals, like those at Climate Masters, to find the ideal option for providing you effective and economical heating.
For questions and heating service needs regarding heat pumps in St. Augustine, give us a call today and speak with one of our HVAC specialists!
5275 US 1 S,
St. Augustine,
FL
32086
Office Hours: Mon - Fri 8am-5pm
License#: CAC046191
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