Tags: North Port, North Port Air Conditioner Repair, North Port Heat Pump Repair

Chances are that you’ve been using your heat pump for long enough to know what it sounds like when it’s running. As we move into summer and you start to rely on your heat pump more often, you may start to hear some weird noises coming from the system. If that’s the case, you might want to have a professional examine it for you. Weird noises are among the first obvious signs that an HVAC system is experiencing some kind of problem. The faster that problem can be isolated and repaired, the better off your heat pump will be. Listen for some of these common noises that indicate a problem with your heat pump, what they may mean.

Hissing and Gurgling

Is your heat pump making a noise similar to the air escaping a tire, or maybe the last few drops of a drink being sucked through a straw? If so, you need to schedule repairs as soon as you can. Those noises mean there are air bubbles in your heat pump, probably in the refrigerant line. If that’s the case, you have a refrigerant leak somewhere.

Refrigerant is the heat transfer fluid the system relies on to exchange thermal energy between the home and the outside environment. A leak in the refrigerant line will drain the fluid, causing the system’s output capacity to drop. Eventually, the refrigerant level will drop to the point that the system will break down entirely. If you want to avoid paying much higher repair costs, you need to have the leak patched and the refrigerant replaced before it reaches that point.

Grinding

Inside every forced-air climate control system, including heat pumps, is a part called the air handler. As the name suggests, the purpose of this part is to circulate air throughout the home while the system is operating. The air handler itself is basically a motor with a fan attached to it. Inside the motor are a number of lubricated bearings, which reduce friction on the motor. These bearings will eventually wear down to the point where they can no longer reduce friction on the system.

As the friction on the motor starts to rise, the system will start to make a loud grinding sound. If you hear this, you need to make sure that you have a professional examine the system as quickly as possible. It’s likely that you’ll need to have the bearings in the motor replaced. If you don’t, the friction will eventually get so high that the air handler motor will overheat and burn out. Replacing bearings is much cheaper than replacing an entire air handler motor, so make sure you act fast.

If you need heat pump services of any kind, our team can take care of them for you. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our expert HVAC technicians. We’ll make sure that your heat pump can keep you cool this summer.

Cliffs Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. offers comprehensive heat pump repair services in Port Charlotte, FL.