Heat Pump Not Keeping the Home Cool? Find Out Why

The primary roll of a heat pump is to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your home. If it stops working, the difference is noticeable almost immediately. What should you do if your HVAC system continues to operate, but is not cooling as efficiently as you know it can?

Start with the thermostat

As the seasons change in Northeast Ohio, many residents adjust the settings of the thermostat for optimal comfort and energy savings. Make sure the setting is on cooling and automatic. If the problem is not the settings, try turning the system to “fan only” to make sure it is working properly. The technology of thermostats has advanced rapidly in recent years. To save energy and simplify the process of changing settings, consider upgrading to a programmable thermostat.

Clogged filters cause many problems

Pollen, dust, and other air-borne particles rapidly coat the surface of your home’s air filter and will restrict air flow and place increased load on your heat pump. The hotter summer months may get blamed for higher utility bills when the real culprit is a clogged air filter. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are great at trapping tiny pollutants. They also fill up rapidly and need to be checked frequently. Restricted air flow can also lead to air leaks in the ductwork.

Proper refrigerant level is essential

Having a minor hose leak is easy to overlook and will reduce the efficiency of your heat pump considerably by depleting refrigerant. Operating your system without the correct amount of refrigerant can lead to costly repairs or a complete system failure. Because refrigerant is extremely hazardous and the EPA has strict guidelines for disposal, only trained and licensed technicians can add more. Consider a seasonal maintenance plan that would include checking this and many other areas of your system to keep it at optimal efficiency.

For HVAC system maintenance, repair, installation, or any questions about keeping your heat pump cooling efficiently, contact Stack Heating & Cooling. We have been serving the home comfort needs of home owners in Northeast Ohio for more than 35 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Cleveland, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat pumps and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Name of Artist/Shutterstock”