Have you noticed that your heat pump is blowing cold air? Don’t know how to fix it or quite unsure about the reason? Nothing to worry at all! We are here to provide you with the full scoop of heat pump blowing cold air. Now your midwinter days will be sorted. Let’s scroll it down to know more.
Probable causes
Well, there can be three potential scenarios to force you landing up on this issue.
- The heat pump is not actually blowing cold air, but it feels that way
- Your heat pump is in defrost mode
- There is some glitch in the unit
Still thinking whether to call for a professional’s support or do it on your own? Hold on, first be sure about the exact issue and for that, read on. You never know, it might save some bucks!
Heat Pump isn’t actually blowing cold air
If it’s a winter day or night and you just felt some cold air coming out of your heat pump- then it might not be the same you are thinking. Yes, maybe your heat pump is just blowing air that’s cooler than your body temperature and makes you think like it’s cold.
You might know the working methodology of the heat pump- it acquires heat by moving outside air into the home. Gradually it gets colder and becomes unable to pull much heat from the surroundings. Hence, the temperature of the air, coming out of vents, drops slightly.
You must know, even at the lowest temperature, your heat pump doesn’t get cold. It just blows air with an 85-90 degree temperature. Now, compared to body heat (98.6 degrees), this air might give you the feeling of cold, but in a literal way, it’s not.
However, it’s justified that heat pumps are meant to heat your home in every weather condition. It automatically switches to backup heat when there is an issue with obtaining heat from the outside air.
So, how to be sure whether your heat pump has got some flaws or it’s completely fine?
Well, take out your thermostat and check the indoor air. Recheck the temperature of the indoor, after 30 minutes. If your house is getting warmer, there is no issue with your heat pump. If not, then you must check out the other scenarios.
The “defrost mode” is on
When in defrost mode, your heat pump blasts cold air from all the vents for 1 to 2 minutes just before the backup heat breaks in.
When your pump is in the heating mode, the outdoor coils are vulnerable to the frosting because of outside temperature drop. It’s mandatory to go through the defrost mode just to prevent the coils from freezing up completely. Defrost mode basically conveys that your heat pump switches the temperature to cooling mode. Why?
Because this temperature switch compels the coil to heat up and melt all built up frost or ice, at this time, the pump will emit only cold air in your home for a few minutes.
To make sure that your pump is in defrost mode and there is no other issue, you need to move outside and check the outdoor unit. If you see the fan has stopped spinning and emitting some smoke, then it’s a confirmation of being in defrost mode. If not, then you should check the third case.
A technical glitch within your heat pump
In case your heat pump is emitting cold air for more than 3 or 4 minutes, then there must be some technical glitch in your pump. Let’s know what kind of disputes your heat pump may have?
- Refrigerant leak: A refrigerant leak is quite dangerous for your pump and you as well. So never try to repair it on your own. Instead, contact a licensed HVAC tech expert. If you are worried about the budget, then let us tell you- this repair is going to cost you the same or a little bit higher than heat pump installation cost.
- Faulty reversing valve: The reversing valve plays a major role by reversing the flow of refrigerant. In case it becomes defective, you are going to get cold air only. Just like a refrigerant leak, this one is also complicated to fix on your own.
- Efficiency loss: You must run a check-up of your heat pump periodically by professionals. This maintenance will help your pump to live longer. But if you haven’t tune up your pump for long, it might lose efficiency, which can result in your heat pump replacement sometimes.
That’s all! You got the more precise picture of the heat pump blowing cold air. Now you must act as per our guide and keep your pump efficient enough.
