3 Reasons Why Heat Pumps Blow Cold Air While in Heat Mode

As outdoor temperatures start dropping, your heat pump should be able to provide consistent warmth throughout the heating season. The last thing you want is for it to blow cool air even while it is in heating mode. It can be annoying, sure, but there are various reasons for this problem. Perfect Degree HVAC highlights three of them here.

1. Possible Defective Components in the Heat Pump

The heat pump itself might have a problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. There could be a refrigerant leak, or the reverse valve is malfunctioning. Either issue prevents the unit from blowing warm air in heating mode, requiring immediate attention from an HVAC technician.

2. Defrost Mode

Heat pumps provide warm and cold air, which enables them to enter defrost mode. Defrost mode is almost identical to cooling mode, so when this is indicated on the LED display, your heat pump will blow cool air while melting ice buildup in your outside unit. Before switching to heating mode, make sure to let the heat pump finish its defrost cycle.

3. Heat Pump Blowing Slightly Cool Air

Unlike furnaces, which release hot air from burning fuel, heat pumps release controlled warm air between 85 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s relatively cooler than the average temperature of the human body at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. After you switch to heating mode on your heat pump, wait out for at least 30 minutes and check if the temperature reading on your thermostat evens out. 

How to Handle a Heat Pump That Is Blowing Cold Air

If your room still feels cold even after your heat pump is switched to heating mode, you can perform the following troubleshooting steps:

• While checking your air filter, turn off the heat on the thermostat. Change it if it’s dirty!
• Make sure the thermostat is set to “AUTO” and not “ON.” When switched to “ON,” the fan will continue to run even when your heat pump is not heating anything. This might give the impression that cool air is blowing out of your vents.

If you’ve done both steps and are still experiencing problems, get in touch with your local HVAC technician to identify the cause.

For your heating repair and air conditioning replacement needs, turn to Perfect Degree HVAC. We offer five-year and 10-year labor warranties on heating and AC equipment we install, so you can rest assured by our work. Call us at (610) 529-7372, or fill out our online contact form today!