Why Is My Heat Pump Blowing Cool Air While in Heat Mode?

Though it might seem like a strange occurrence, a heat pump blowing cool air while in heating mode is a fairly common issue that many homeowners experience. Let’s take a closer look at three possible reasons why this might be happening to your heat pump in Fairbury, IL.

Your System Might Be in Defrost Mode

Heat pumps produce heat by transferring warmth from outside to inside your home. During winter, the outdoor unit often accumulates ice on its coils due to cold temperatures and moisture in the air. This ice can reduce the it’s efficiency and even cause it to stop working altogether.

To prevent this issue, most modern HVAC systems have a built-in defrost mode that automatically melts any ice on the outdoor coils. Defrost mode uses a small amount of heat from inside your home to melt the ice, which causes cool air to blow into your house while in heating mode.

Your Heat Pump Might Have Frozen

Several things can cause it to ice up, even when it’s operating normally. In most cases, it can start freezing if you overwork it. Other reasons that may cause it to freeze include:

• Low refrigerant levels
• Malfunctioning defrost controls
• Faulty defrost thermostats or sensors
• Defective defrost relay
• Sticking reversing valve
• Faulty outdoor fan motors

When your HVAC system starts freezing, it will stop blowing warm air and start blowing cold air. As mentioned earlier, when it detects ice buildup, it will automatically go into defrost mode. If it freezes over, you might need to call a professional to inspect it as soon as possible.

A Heat Pump Blows Cooler Air Than a Furnace

Do you know the primary difference between a heat pump and a furnace? A furnace creates heat by burning fuel, while a heat pump transfers warmth from outside to inside your home. Because of this difference, a heat pump blows cooler air than a furnace.

Heat pumps, in general, blow adequately warm air at temperatures ranging from 85 to 90 degrees. While this isn’t hot, it’s quite warm, given that most thermostats are set at 68 to 72 degrees.

If you’re experiencing problems with your HVAC system blowing cool air, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional for help. At Popejoy Plumbing, Heating, Electric, and Geothermal, we provide heat pump repair and maintenance services in Fairbury, IL, so contact us today.

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