One of the great benefits of a heat pump system is that it offers your home both heating and cooling. With the touch of a button on your home’s thermostat, you can change the mode of your heat pump HVAC system. But what if the mode doesn’t change? Then it’s time to call the heating and cooling experts at Climate Masters for repair.
How Does It Change Modes?
The key to changing modes on your heat pump system is a component called the reversing valve. This valve changes the direction in which the refrigerant flows, and the direction of the flow determines whether your heat pump is in heating mode or cooling mode.
What Problems Stop My Heat Pump from Switching Modes?
There can be a few reasons why your heat pump isn’t switching modes:
- The reversing valve is stuck – one of the most common reasons for a heat pump system not changing modes is a stuck reversing valve. When you hear that the reversing valve is “stuck,” this means the valve can’t change modes because it is either lodged between modes or stuck in the mode it has been. Sometimes a stuck valve can be repaired but other times it has to be replaced.
- The solenoid has gone bad – the reversing valve gets a little help in changing the directional flow of the refrigerant by a small electronic component known as the solenoid. Sometimes the wiring can become faulty or the device burns out. If this happens, the reversing valve won’t be able to change modes.
- There’s a refrigerant leak in the valve – the reversing valve is as prone to refrigerant leaks as any other part of your heat pump system. Unfortunately, not only does a refrigerant leak in the reversing valve cause the valve to malfunction, a leak in the valve can’t be fixed, so the valve will need to be replaced.
If you have tried to switch your heat pump to the heating mode only to find it doesn’t work, call our experts immediately and schedule a repair appointment for your home in St. Augustine, FL.
