Two-season equipment
Heat Pump Repair and Service in Sandy Springs, GA
Is your heat pump doing something that worries you? We'll explain what's normal, fix what isn't and replace it when it's time.
How Does a Heat Pump Work, and What Goes Wrong?
Did you know a heat pump doesn't create heat so much as relocate it? During the cooling season it moves heat from inside your home to the outdoors, exactly like a conventional air conditioner. In winter a reversing valve changes the direction of refrigerant flow, and that very outdoor cabinet collects warmth from outdoor air and carries it inside. For a climate like ours, with long humid summers and generally moderate winters, that's an efficient arrangement. Because the equipment works in every season, though, it also accumulates wear in every season. Several things owners worry about are perfectly normal. On cold, damp mornings the unit enters defrost: the outdoor fan stops, steam rises off the coil, and after a few minutes it returns to heating. What isn't normal is a coil that stays encased in ice, air that feels cool all winter, or auxiliary heat that runs constantly. Supplemental electric strips, or the furnace half of a dual-fuel pairing, are meant to assist on genuinely frigid nights, not shoulder the work all winter. We test the reversing valve, defrost control and sensors, refrigerant charge and auxiliary heat, then explain what we found in plain language. When replacement is warranted, we size the new system and set the controls so backup heat runs only when necessary.
Which Heat Pump Jobs Can We Take On?
Repairs, replacements and new installations, including the following.
Reversing valve problems
Diagnosed when the system heats but won't cool, or cools but won't heat.
Defrost failures
Defrost controls, sensors and airflow tested when ice builds up and stays.
Constant auxiliary heat
Strip heaters and thermostat staging reviewed so supplemental heat engages only on cold nights.
Heat pump plus furnace
Heat pumps paired with gas furnaces, with the changeover temperature set sensibly.
Outdoor unit noise
Compressors, fan motors and panels inspected when sounds change.
Low refrigerant
Leaks located and explained before the system is recharged.
System replacement
Worn equipment replaced with a heat pump sized for the home and a matched air handler.
Conversions
Installing a heat pump in place of a conventional air conditioner when it suits the house.
How Is a Heat Pump Diagnosed?
Describe the symptom
Will it not cool, will it not heat, does it ice over, or does it seem to live on supplemental heat? Knowing that points the technician toward the right starting place.
Test in both modes
We operate the system in heating and cooling, initiate defrost, check auxiliary heat and take pressure and temperature readings. You'll then hear what's wrong and what the repair costs.
Repair or plan ahead
Approved repairs are completed and tested. If replacement makes more sense, you'll receive options and prices to consider without any rush.
Why Bring Your Heat Pump Questions to Us?
Normal versus not
We'll help you recognize ordinary behavior so you're not worried by every puff of steam.
Both seasons checked
A system that cools well can still struggle to heat, so we test each mode.
Candid advice
If your heat pump is near the end, you'll hear that clearly along with the cost of replacing it.
- Heating and cooling tested
- Defrost checked
- Dual-fuel experience
- Price explained first
Is Your Heat Pump Behaving Strangely?
Ice that lingers, cool air in winter or a sudden jump in your power bill are worth a conversation. Tell us what you're noticing.