The compressor has a central role in almost every aspect of your heat pump’s performance. Whenever anything goes wrong with the heat pump in your Milton, FL home, a faulty compressor may ultimately be to blame. Let’s review three signs of a bad heat pump compressor.
1. System Refuses To Turn On
The compressor’s job is to take the refrigerant that flows through your heat pump and raise its temperature and pressure until it reaches a condensible state. Once this happens, the refrigerant will be able to release the heat it had absorbed earlier on in your heat pump’s cycle. Hence, if the compressor stops working, the refrigerant can’t condense properly.
If refrigerant can’t condense, your system will lose the ability to perform heat transfer. In a nutshell, this means that it simply won’t start up, regardless of whether it’s in heating or cooling mode.
2. Short Cycling
Suppose that your heat pump’s compressor loses some of its ability to function but does not completely break down. In that case, the system may begin short cycling.
Short cycling is when your heat pump turns off before it has completed a full cycle. When functioning properly, your heat pump should go through two to three cycles per hour, lasting about 10 to 15 minutes each.
3. Collapsing Efficiency
The compressor eats up a large share of the power that your heat pump uses. As it starts to fail, it will only devour even more energy in an effort to force itself to work. Consequently, your heat pump’s efficiency will almost certainly plummet, and your electricity bills will probably increase.
The most effective way to help prevent this problem is to schedule heat pump maintenance. You should do this at least once per year.
The consequences of a faulty heat pump compressor will affect the comfort of everyone in your household, but our team is here to help. Call Lunsford Air Conditioning & Heating to get the best HVAC repair services around Milton, FL.
Image provided by iStock
