A heat pump is an essential household appliance. Although a heat pump comprises several components, the blower motor is an important one that helps distribute warm air. This means you wouldn’t want your blower motor to give up just when you need the furnace the most. We are going to look at some signs that will help you determine if your blower motor has either gone bad or is about to. So, you can consider heat pump repair in time.
Lack Of Airflow From The Vents
If you turn on the heat pump and notice there is no air coming from the vents, it means there is a problem. It might be that your blower motor has malfunctioned or is broken. In this case, you cannot do much but replace the motor. Keep in mind that if it is a new unit, you might be able to get it replaced without any costs under warranty.
However, if the unit tends to be old, it should not come as a surprise. The reason is, that no matter how well-maintained a heat pump is, the components will turn weaker with time and will need replacement. At the same time, there could also be other reasons no air is coming from the vents such as a faulty thermostat or a bad relay, etc. Therefore, you will need to be sure about the root cause of the problem.
Increasing Energy Bills
Although heat pumps contribute to the increase in energy bills as they help produce heat and are mostly used throughout the chilly season, it does not mean the bills are extremely high. That said, if you observe the electricity bills going up all of a sudden, it means there is something wrong with the blower motor.
In the entire heat pump, the blower motor is perhaps the only component that consumes the most energy. This means there is a decrease in the heat pump’s performance and efficiency causing the heat pump to work harder than usual, which is extra in this case to produce the same amount of heat.
Then again, there could be several other reasons your energy bills have increased unexpectedly. Someone else in the house might be using an electric appliance more frequently. You should always be certain about the problem before finding a solution.
Sometimes, the problem is not what it seems like. It might be caused by external factors and the malfunction might be a result.
Weird Noises
As mentioned earlier, a heat pump has several different components. With time, these components can produce all sorts of problems like rattling, clanking, or screeching. When this happens, you should try to find the source of the noise as soon as possible and turn off the furnace.
If you are not able to find out where the noise is coming from, you should call an expert. The expert will run a thorough inspection of the blower motor and go through each component to ensure the root cause of the problem. If there are squealing or screeching noises, it means there is a bearing issue in the heat pump.
Whereas, a rattling or knocking noise means something inside the heat pump is broken. However, banging noises tend to be the most serious and noisiest. Such sounds mean the entire blower motor has malfunctioned and needs replacement. Then again, the task should be handed over to a professional.
Cold Air From The Unit
If your heat pump is blowing cold air, you need to call an expert for inspection. However, the blower motor is not to be blamed each time in such cases due to the fact there could be other reasons such as blocked air ducts or dirty air filters that are causing the problem.
Keep in mind that heat pumps are household appliances and require maintenance to keep running smoothly. For instance, the air filters are designed to trap contaminants and will become dirty with time. To avoid such situations, you should consult the user manual.
While it is relatively easy to access and clean components like air filters, there are some hidden in complicated areas that are not easily accessible. Do not try to experiment with such components as you might end up hurting yourself.
Instead, call a professional from HVAC companies Port Jefferson who will thoroughly clean the components and utilize the proper tools to reach narrow and difficult areas.
The Heat Pump Is Not Powering Up
If you turn on the heat pump and notice it is not powering up, it means the blower motor has most probably gone bad. In some cases, the heat pump will turn on and won’t blow air. Plus, the heat pump may also not show any signs of malfunction.
This could be a fairly complicated issue as you or the expert will need to check all the components individually. Before you can get down to checking the heat pump, you should check the thermostat and other factors that might be causing the problem. Start by checking the power and power-related components.
Capacitor Malfunction
The capacitor is an electronic device that provides the charge for the motor to turn on. If it has malfunctioned, the blower motor won’t function as a result. But this does not mean the blower motor is bad. Capacitors can burn due to power surges. Fortunately, replacing them is neither expensive nor difficult.
Once you have replaced the capacitor and notice it is burning more frequently, it means something else is causing the problem. Keep in mind that not only the capacitor but also the blower motor itself could go bad due to power surges. In this case, the only option is to replace the motor.
How To Avoid Heat Pump Problems?
The best way to avoid heat pump problems is by scheduling periodic expert maintenance. Even though the entire lifespan and efficiency of the heat pumps are dependent on maintenance, most homeowners still fail to acknowledge this basic fact. For them, it is just an expense. So, they try to maintain their heat pumps themselves.
As mentioned earlier, cleaning and maintaining easily accessible areas is one thing but there are a lot of other components that need to be taken care of as well. But these components carry a lot of risks, and homeowners have caught serious injuries trying to play around with them.
Remember, all electric appliances and components can be extremely dangerous regardless of how simple and easy they look. Therefore, consulting the user manual is important. So, read it carefully and follow the instructions.
It will be a lot better to hand over the task to an expert who ensures your heat pump makes your investment worth it. Of course, you will have to spend but that takes away all the unforeseen problems and complications at the same time.
Conclusion
There could be countless other reasons behind a blower motor going bad. However, you should always maintain a safe side and frequently clean and maintain the heat pump. And, if the blower motor is making strange noises, you should immediately get help from heat pump repair services Huntington. Do not ignore the problem. Don’t wait for it to go away as it could damage other expensive components.