Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing Blog

Heat Pump Question: Why Won’t My Heat Pump Start?

If you are having trouble with your Germantown heating system, or more specifically your heat pump, you may be surprised to learn that it is probably not the heat pump that is to blame.  That seems counterintuitive, but it’s true: the heat pump can be in perfect working order but still not turn on.

The good news, then, is that your heat pump is fine and you won’t have to pay an arm and a leg to fix or replace it. Still though, these types of problems can very frustrating to diagnose and correct. There are four common culprits when a heat pump won’t start.

  • A common problem is no power to your Germantown heat pump, which is certainly going to cause it to stop working. You should check your breaker box to make sure that the circuit breaker was not tripped. If your heat pump is wired to a switch, check to see if that switch is turned on. While this might seem obvious, its an important first step to take when troubleshooting.
  • Another quick check any homeowner can make is to see if the heat pump is set to the right mode. You want ‘heat’ mode on during the winter and ‘cool’ mode on for the summer. Again, this might seem obvious, but you should always check the mode before deciding that your heat pump needs a professional repair.
  • If you have recently replaced your home’s thermostat, it might not be communicating properly with your heat pump. Some thermostats don’t work well with heat pumps, so you should always check the model’s compatibility before installation. Incorrect wiring may also cause a problem. While you probably need a professional to fix this issue, it is relatively simple to resolve.
  • The last problem that commonly occurs is the heat pump’s own circuit breaker is tripped. Check your unit to see if your unit has its own circuit breaker to determine if that is the problem.

If you exhaust these problems and the problem persists or recurs – for example, if the circuit breaker trips again – call a Germantown heating and air conditioning contractor to work on your heat pump. There may be something larger at work that is causing problems in the electrical system that controls your heat pump, and that requires some expertise to properly address.

If you are having any problems with your heat pump, give Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating a call today!