5 Heat Pump Questions to Ask Your HVAC Service Pro

Dealing with HVAC issues is never fun, but it can be especially frustrating and even dangerous in extremely hot or cold temperatures. This is why contacting an HVAC contractor and discussing these heat pump questions is important when you’re having issues with your heating and cooling system. These five questions will help keep your temperature consistent. 

1. Is this an emergency?

If your heat pump stops working during a period of extreme temperature, you’ll likely need to call your HVAC contractor for emergency repairs to make sure you’re safe. But even if the weather is mild and you aren’t in desperate need of temperature control in your home, you still may need emergency repairs. Strange noises, like rattling, screeching, or bubbling, and unusual smells are signs that something might be very wrong, and you need to have a contractor come as quickly as possible.

2. When would you like your heat pump repair job completed?

Scheduling a yearly tune-up for your HVAC system can be done around your schedule, but repairs to fix a broken system should be done as soon as possible. When you call your HVAC contractor to ask your heat pump questions, they should be able to give you a timeline for when they can come out to complete the work. You can also call multiple companies to get quotes and see when they’re available. 

3. What kind of heat pump is this?

There are a few types of heat pumps: air source, ground source, and geothermal. Heat pumps can be ductless and pump heat or cool air directly into a room, or they can be connected to the ductwork system to move air into the room through the vents. Knowing which type of heat pump you have can help HVAC contractors prepare for their visit and give you a more accurate quote. 

4. What best describes the problem?

Describing the issue you’re having when you call to ask your contractor your heat pump questions will help give them an idea of what they’ll be walking into when they come to repair or service the system. You can describe the noises you’re hearing or the problems you’re experiencing. You can also discuss other issues like lack of heating or cooling or increased electric bills.

5. What are the signs that your heat pump needs repair?

Some heat pump issues will be noticeable right away—loud noises or lost heat on a cold day, for instance. Other issues may not be as noticeable. If your heat pump is working harder than it should due to lack of maintenance or other issues, for example, you may not realize it until you get a higher than normal utility bill. Even if the issue isn’t an emergency, if you notice something isn’t quite right, it’s time to call your local heat pump repair pro to ask some questions.

Common Heat Pump Problems

Wondering how your heat pump issue stacks up against others? According to Angi data, nearly 30% of respondents reported insufficient heating or cooling with their heat pump, making it the most common problem. Other frequent issues include not working at all, noisy or running constantly, or a frozen unit.