When the winters in Lewes, DE, are brutal, you’ll want efficient heating. But this won’t happen if your heater runs constantly. On average, heat pumps should cycle only two or three times per hour. Cycling more often signifies a problem with your system. Short-cycling usually comes about as a result of dirty coils, a refrigerant leak or an undersized system.
Dirty Condenser Coils
Located in the outdoor condenser unit and tasked with the job of pulling heat from the outside air, the condenser coil will work smoothly enough until it builds up dirt, grime and debris like fallen leaves. When these things start to hamper the coil’s performance, the heat pump will work extra hard to reach your desired temperature. As a result, it’ll run constantly.
Refrigerant Leak
Despite its name, refrigerant does have an important role to play in heating homes. Pressurized liquid refrigerant goes to the condenser coil, and after it heats, it enters the home as a gas, providing warm air. However, if the refrigerant lines leak, the heat pump won’t ever heat your home the way you want, which means continual cycling.
Undersized Heat Pumps
Regular maintenance can let you in on problems like refrigerant leaks and dirt buildup as well as on more structural problems. For instance, maybe you recently finished a room addition to your home. Your heat pump may not have the power to take on that extra square footage.
The consequence is that your heat pump will run longer in its effort to warm a bigger space. To solve this issue, you would need to install a heat pump with a higher capacity.
Serving Homes Since 1994
Our family-owned company can repair heat pumps in the Lewes, DE, area, and we even stay available 24/7 for emergencies. Call Alltemp Air today if you notice that your heat pump runs constantly.
Image provided by iStock
