heat pump troubleshooting
Heat pump is not heating at all
What it probably is, what you can safely check yourself, and the point where it becomes our job.
Do not wait this one out. Shut the system down and phone us — running it in this state usually turns a repair into a replacement.
What is most likely going on
No heat at all is usually power, a control failure, or a compressor that is not starting. Work through the breakers, the disconnect and the thermostat first, then call, because a house losing heat toward our 19°F design temperature is not something to sit on.
Likely causes, most common first
- 1
Tripped breaker or open outdoor disconnect
Heat pumps are usually on two circuits, one for the outdoor unit and one for the air handler, and a nuisance trip on either produces different symptoms. The disconnect box beside the outdoor unit is also frequently left open after other work on the house. Both are visible to you without opening anything electrical.
- 2
Failed capacitor or contactor at the outdoor unit
A dead run capacitor leaves the compressor or fan humming and not starting, and a pitted contactor never closes to pass power. These are the most common genuine failures we find and they are component-level repairs on an otherwise sound system, so this is a good outcome rather than a bad one.
- 3
Thermostat or control wiring problem
A dead thermostat, a flat battery in a battery-powered stat, a mis-set installer configuration, or a chafed control wire in a crawlspace will all stop a call for heat from reaching the equipment. Older Bellingham houses with retrofit wiring routed through a damp crawlspace are the usual candidates for the last one.
- 4
Compressor failure or a safety lockout
A compressor that has failed electrically, or a system sitting on a high or low pressure lockout, will not produce heat. Repeated lockouts point at charge, airflow or a blocked coil rather than at the control board. This is the diagnosis that turns into a repair-or-replace conversation, especially on older refrigerants.
- 5
The system is off on a defrost or startup delay
Most equipment enforces a compressor delay of several minutes after a power interruption, which matters here because Whatcom windstorms cause brief outages all winter. Silence for a few minutes after a flicker is correct behavior; silence for an hour is not.
What you can safely check yourself
Work down the list before you book anything. Plenty of calls end here, and we would rather you keep the money.
- Check the breaker for both the air handler and the outdoor unit, and reset a tripped breaker exactly once.
- Look at the disconnect box next to the outdoor unit and confirm the pull or switch is in the on position.
- Replace the thermostat batteries if it has them, and confirm the display is lit and set to Heat.
- Check the filter, because a completely blocked filter can trip a limit and shut the system down.
- If you have backup heat, switch to emergency or auxiliary heat to keep the house warm while you wait for us.
What is deliberately not on that list
Nothing above involves refrigerant, gas piping, or opening a live electrical panel. Refrigerant work is federally regulated and needs recovery equipment. Gas work done wrong kills people. An energised panel turns a $300 repair into a hospital visit. Electrical work on the circuit itself is done by a licensed electrical contractor. If a step you have read elsewhere involves any of those three, stop and call instead.
When to call us
Call us now if the breaker will not stay set, if the outdoor unit hums without starting, or if nothing responds after the checks above. If the house is dropping and you have no backup, say so when you call. Regular hours are Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–5:30 PM at (360) 592-3824, and emergency calls are answered 24/7.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM · Emergency calls answered 24/7
Tell us what it is doing
Describe the symptom and we will tell you what it takes to fix, what it is likely to cost, and whether it is worth fixing at all.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM · Emergency calls answered 24/7