If your heat pump won’t switch to cooling, don’t panic quite yet. There may be a simple explanation – the reversing valve is probably stuck in heating mode and won’t switch over for cooling. Of course, there could be other contributing problems but this is the most likely scenario.
If you suspect that your heat pump is stuck in heat mode in Chambersburg, our team is here to help. We can troubleshoot your heat pump to get down to the root cause of the problem and fix it so it hopefully won’t happen again. Keep reading to learn more about why your heat pump won’t turn on for cooling and what to do about it.
Stuck Reversing Valve
Your heat pump has a reversing valve that is completely unique to heat pumps and not found on other HVAC systems. Most HVAC systems either offer heating or cooling but not both. A heat pump replaces an air conditioner and heater as an all-in-one solution.
Switching between heating and cooling settings on your thermostat signals the reversing valve to switch from one operational mode to the other. Since a heat pump uses refrigerant to heat and cool, the reversing valve allows the refrigerant to change and move in the opposite direction in the lines.
For cooling cycles, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the inside of your home and transfers it to the outside unit to be released outside. When you switch to heating mode, the refrigerant switches to the opposite direction and begins absorbing heat from outside inside as a method of raising the temperature.
Usually, you only switch modes in the in-between seasons when the weather can vary from day to day. Since it goes largely unused, the reversing valve can get stuck in one position or the other and you may not realize it until the seasons change again.
How We Troubleshoot Heat Pump Issues
The reversing valve isn’t the only reason for a heat pump being stuck in one mode or the other. When we arrive for service, we can check the reversing valve to see if it’s working correctly or not. If the valve is stuck we can either clean it and get it working again or replace it completely.
But if we find that your reversing valve isn’t the problem, we’ll keep working to figure out what is going on. Our next stop is usually the thermostat. It’s common for residential thermostats to become miscalibrated and signal incorrectly to your heat pump for heating and cooling cycles.
Our team will make sure that your thermostat is calibrated correctly with secure connections leading to your heat pump. We may have to replace the batteries in your thermostat or gently clean away dust buildup inside the thermostat.
There’s also a chance that a dirty air filter is blocking airflow into your heat pump and preventing it from working at all. This is actually a step you can troubleshoot ahead of our visit. If your air filter is particularly dirty, change it out for a clean filter and see if that makes a difference.
To schedule your heat pump service, contact Premier HVAC Services today! We’re here to help with all your HVAC needs.