Is My Heat Pump Compressor Malfunctioning?

Your heat pump’s compressor is perhaps its single most important component. Any malfunctions will undermine the entire system’s ability to perform heat transfer and keep you comfortable in your Palm Beach, FL, home this winter. Here are some signals that your heat pump has a faulty compressor:

Noisy Heat Pump Compressor

The first and most obvious sign to watch out for is the sudden emergence of noises coming from the compressor. You might hear abnormal buzzing, rumbling or clicking noises.

These noises typically appear because debris has intruded into the compressor or because some portion of it has ceased to function. HVAC service technicians can discover the causes of such noises during a maintenance checkup and take further action to fix them.

Poor Heat Pump Performance

Whenever your heat pump is on, it transfers heat from one location to another. For this to be possible, the refrigerant must flow into the system’s evaporator coils, absorb heat from the surrounding air and condense in the evaporator coils.

Between these steps, the refrigerant must visit the compressor. The compressor further heats and pressurizes the refrigerant until it reaches a condensible state. Hence, if this component cannot perform its duty, your heat pump’s overall effectiveness will sharply decline, possibly even to the point of completely refusing to turn on.

Tripping Your Circuit Breaker

Of all the components of your heat pump, the compressor consumes the most power. If the compressor is faulty, your heat pump may try to pull in even more power to force it to work. This may eventually cause your circuit breaker to trip.

Since the consequences of having a faulty heat pump compressor may be catastrophic, you must act as soon as you notice this problem. Call Preferred Air Conditioning & Mechanical, LLC today to get the best heating repair services around Palm Beach, FL.

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