Residential Heat Pump Repair in Zephyrhills, Florida

One machine that heats and cools

A heat pump uses the refrigeration cycle to heat or cool your home. Refrigerant is the fluid that carries heat from one place to another. In summer the heat pump works like a central air conditioner and moves heat out of the house. In cold weather it pulls heat from the outdoor air and brings it inside.

The part that switches between the two jobs is the reversing valve, which reverses the flow of refrigerant. Trane, an equipment maker, says most heat pumps have backup electric heat strips in the indoor air handling unit. Trane calls these strips auxiliary heat, a source that may be needed for lower temperatures.

Trane names some of the most common heat pump repairs: a capacitor, the expansion valve, electrical issues such as fuses and wiring, and the circuit board. Its list also includes the defrost control board and refrigerant leak repair with a recharge.

When you call, say which mode failed: heating, cooling or both. Blume gives you a written, upfront price before any work starts.

What the Saint Leo climate record says about heating here

The National Weather Service explains degree days with a simple rule. Degree days assume that when the outdoor temperature is 65°F, a home needs no heating or cooling to be comfortable. Each degree the daily average sits above 65°F counts as a cooling degree day. Each degree below 65°F counts as a heating degree day.

NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for Saint Leo give the station 3,148.8 cooling degree days a year and 619.1 heating degree days. In plain words, the weather near Zephyrhills calls for far more cooling than heating.

Winter nights still get cool. January's normal low in the record is 49.4°F. January also averages about 6.2 nights at or below 40°F and about 1.5 nights at or below freezing.

What that means when you call:

• Trane's heat pump maintenance list includes checking the defrost control operation in the fall.
• If the system cooled well all summer, tell the technician.

Defrost, steam and a cold-morning surprise

On a cold morning in Zephyrhills, a heat pump that is working correctly can look broken. Trane explains that the outdoor coil typically runs 10 to 20°F colder than the outdoor air in winter. Moisture collects on that coil and can freeze.

To clear it, the heat pump runs a defrost cycle. The reversing valve sends the refrigerant the other way for a few minutes, much like cooling mode. Trane says this can start when it is in the low 40s outside, so freezing weather is not needed. Saint Leo averages about 15.9 nights a year at or below 40°F.

During defrost, Trane says these things are normal:

• a cloud of steam rising from the outdoor unit as the ice melts;
• a swooshing sound as the refrigerant changes direction;
• the outdoor fan stopping for a short time;
• AUX on the thermostat while the heat strips keep the house warm.

Call a licensed contractor when the pattern changes. Trane says to call for repair if the outdoor unit ices up and does not melt. It also says to call if defrost seems constant or the cycles keep getting longer as ice covers the unit. A faulty defrost control or a reversing valve problem is a job for a technician.

AUX, emergency heat and Duke Energy's advice

The Pasco Economic Development Council says Duke Energy primarily serves the Zephyrhills area of east Pasco County. Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative also serves customers in Pasco County, so check the name on your bill.

Duke Energy tells heat pump owners never to switch to the emergency heat setting unless the unit is malfunctioning. That switch turns the heat pump off. Trane says emergency heat leaves the backup system as the main heat source. Trane also says to call for service right away if you use it.

AUX is different from emergency heat. The thermostat turns on auxiliary heat by itself. Trane says this happens when it is below about 40°F outside, during defrost, or when you raise the setting more than 3 to 4 degrees. Trane says the heat strips use more energy than the heat pump.

Two habits help on a cold Zephyrhills morning:

• Duke Energy asks customers in winter to pick the lowest comfortable thermostat setting, especially in early morning hours when demand is often highest.
• Trane suggests raising the setting only a degree or two at a time.

Trane says AUX that stays on when it is above 40°F outside can mean a heat pump or thermostat problem. Trane also says to call if the heat pump will not turn on at all.

Safe checks before you call

Only three checks are safe for a homeowner. None of them needs tools or an open panel.

1. Thermostat. Trane says to make sure the thermostat is set to heat or cool, depending on the season, before you call. Check the setpoint too. If the screen says EM HEAT and you did not choose it, call.
2. Air filter. Trane recommends changing the air filter every 30 to 90 days year-round. Trane says this helps the heat pump get the airflow it needs.
3. Vents, returns and the outdoor unit. Move furniture and rugs off supply vents and return grilles. Trane says to keep plants and debris at least two feet from the outdoor unit. Duke Energy also asks heat pump owners to keep grass and leaves clear of it.

That is where homeowner work stops. If the breaker for the heat pump or air handler has tripped, leave it off and call a licensed contractor. Do not open the outdoor unit or the air handler, and do not touch the capacitor or the wiring. Do not add refrigerant. Under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, EPA requires certification for technicians who service equipment that could release ozone-depleting refrigerants. Blume has EPA Section 608 certified technicians.

Replacing a heat pump in Zephyrhills

Inside the city limits, the City of Zephyrhills Building/Code Enforcement Department issues residential permits. It reviews plans for compliance with the Florida Building Code. On a system change-out, the city's photo sheet asks the contractor for pictures of the old air handler (the indoor unit), the old condenser (the outdoor unit) and where each sat. It also asks for photos of the new equipment's data plates and the wire and breaker sizes.

The University of Florida GeoPlan Center counts 2,938 mobile homes among the city's 8,268 housing units in its 2017 to 2021 estimates. When you call, say whether your home is site-built or a mobile or manufactured home, and where the air handler sits.

Trane warns homeowners to beware of dealers who push a replacement that is not needed. Blume puts repair and replacement options side by side and does not sell equipment a building does not need. When replacement is the right answer, Blume sizes the new heat pump with an ACCA Manual J load calculation and Manual S equipment selection. Financing is available through Synchrony Bank.