Heat Pump Not Cooling? Troubleshooting Tips to See You Through All Seasons

If your house is equipped with a heat pump rather than a standard air conditioning cooling system, there are some things you will need to know to keep cool this summer. The heat pump operation is unique due to its ability to provide you warmth during the winter and cooling during those hot and sticky summer months in the Kansas City area. As summer gets underway, you will no doubt find yourself relying more and more on the cooling aspect of your heat pump system. 

However, what should you do if you find the heat pump not cooling? What steps should you as the homeowner take that may solve the problem before you decide to call an HVAC professional? Here are a few tips to help youc.

Thermostat Settings – With the heat pump not cooling, first check the thermostat settings. Make sure that it’s set to cool rather than heat, and that the temperature is set at a point where cooling should be activated.

Indoor Fan – Your next step is to set the system to “fan-only” to check if the fan blower is blowing room temperature air through the cooling vents. If the fan is not operating its time to check your breaker for power.

Air Filter Check – An important step in efficient heat pump operation is to keep the air filter changed on a regular basis. This keeps the air flowing through the system at the rate the equipment is designed to work with. A clean filter also helps improve indoor air quality.

Indoor Coil – While you have the air filter out, look at the indoor coil. If the indoor section of your heat pump is an electric air handler, the evaporator coil is often just behind the air filter on heat pump systems. If it appears dirty, have a professional HVAC technician Clean the coil with a proper coil cleaning procedure.

If you find that you still cannot solve the problem with the heat pump not cooling, contact a trusted HVAC company and have a qualified technician inspect your system.

For additional questions regarding your heat pump not cooling, please contact us at Overland Park Heating & Cooling. We serve homeowners in the greater Kansas City area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Overland Park, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock