Heat Pump Repair in Astoria, OR
If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Clatsop County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Astoria asks a heat pump to run almost year round
Heat is on in Astoria from September through June. That is ten months of the heat pump cycling on and off, most of it on nights that average 35°F. A heat pump works harder as the air outside gets colder, and it does that work night after night for most of the year.
That kind of run time wears on the parts that keep it cycling, like the defrost control and the reversing valve that switches it between heating and cooling. When one of those starts to fail, you notice the unit running longer than it used to, or blowing air that is not as warm, or frosting up outside and not clearing itself. Clatsop County has also seen nine damaging wind events over the past ten years, and a heat pump that loses power mid cycle needs that power back to restart and pick up where it left off.
- 10 months
- September through June, your system heats
- 35°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 70°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
Oregon requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The license belongs to the contractor's business, not to this one repair. Oregon's Construction Contractors Board tests and records the contractor before issuing it, so the company coming to your house is on file with the state. Work under $1,000 falls outside that requirement. A small repair can legally be done without a licensed contractor.
A heat pump repair usually means opening the refrigerant lines. That work needs EPA Section 608 certification no matter what state you're in, and it belongs to the technician, separate from the business license. On a job like this both can matter at once. The state license covers the company doing the work. The federal certification covers the person handling the refrigerant.
Source: Oregon Legislative Assembly
- Why is my heat pump blowing cold air?
- In heating mode, air coming out of the vents feels cool because it is warmer than the room but still well under body temperature, and that can feel like cold air even when the system is working right. If the air is actually cold with no warmth to it at all, check that the thermostat is set to heat and not fan only. A frozen outdoor coil, a low refrigerant charge, or a failed reversing valve will also leave you with cold air, and those need a contractor to sort out. Anyone who opens the refrigerant side of your system has to hold EPA certification, so this is not a repair to try yourself.
- Why is there ice on my heat pump?
- Some frost on the outdoor unit during a cold defrost cycle is normal, and it should clear on its own within an hour or so. Heavy ice that builds up and stays means the defrost cycle is not kicking in, airflow across the coil is blocked, or the refrigerant charge is low. With winter nights here averaging 35°F, your heat pump is cycling through defrost often, so a defrost control or sensor that has failed will show up fast as thick ice rather than light frost. Left alone, it can keep the unit from heating your home at all, so it is worth getting a contractor out before the next cold night.
- Why is my heat pump running but not cooling?
- If the unit runs but the air never gets cool, the most common causes are a dirty filter choking airflow, a refrigerant leak, or a compressor that is not engaging. Start with the filter, since that is the one thing worth checking yourself. Anything past that, especially refrigerant, needs a licensed contractor, since only someone with EPA Section 608 certification can legally open that side of the system.