Heat Pumps & Ductless · open 24/7
Heat pump repair in Philadelphia, PA, heating or cooling season
Heat pump blowing cool air on a cold night? Call any hour. We find out whether it is a defrost fault, a stuck valve or low charge, then fix what failed.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Ducted and dual-fuel heat pumps
Updated October 2026
- Common fixes
- Defrost boards, sensors, reversing valves, capacitors and fan motors
- Covers
- Ducted heat pumps, dual-fuel setups and air handlers with heat strips
- Answers
- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Short answer
Heat pump repair in Philadelphia, PA usually comes down to defrost, the reversing valve, charge or the electrical parts outside. We test the unit in both heating and cooling, force a defrost cycle and read pressures and line temperatures. That separates a cheap sensor or capacitor fault from a sealed-system repair before any part is replaced.
Warning signs
Heat pump trouble worth a call tonight
Solid ice on the outdoor coil
Light frost that clears during a defrost cycle is normal. A block of ice that stays is not.
Outdoor fan not spinning
With the compressor running and the fan stopped, pressures climb fast and the compressor can overheat.
Cool air in heating mode
Lukewarm air at the vents usually points to a stuck reversing valve or a low refrigerant charge.
Emergency heat light stays on
The thermostat has switched to electric strips, which keep the house warm but cost far more to run.
One machine for heating and cooling, and where it breaks
A heat pump moves heat instead of making it. In summer it pulls heat out of the house, and in winter it runs in reverse and pulls heat from the outdoor air, even on cold days. That reversal adds parts a central air system lacks: a reversing valve, a defrost control and its sensors.
Most heat pump calls here come in the coldest weeks, when the outdoor coil frosts heavily and every defrost part is working hard. We test the whole heating sequence, not just the part that seems wrong, because one fault often sets off another.
The usual heat pump faults
Icing and defrost problems
In winter the outdoor coil runs below freezing and collects frost. Every so often the unit switches into defrost, the outdoor fan stops, and steam rises off the coil for a few minutes. If defrost never starts, the coil turns into a block of ice and heat output falls away. The usual causes are a failed defrost board, a bad coil sensor, low refrigerant, or water from a gutter dripping onto the unit and refreezing. We force a defrost to watch it run, test the sensors, and deal with the drip source if there is one.
Reversing valve faults
The reversing valve flips the unit between heating and cooling. When it sticks, the heat pump blows cool air in winter or warm air in summer. Sometimes the fault is electrical, a dead solenoid coil or a thermostat wire that never sends the signal, and that is a simple repair. If the valve itself is stuck or leaking internally, it has to be cut out and a new one brazed in, with the refrigerant recovered first and recharged after. We check the solenoid and the line temperatures across the valve before deciding which it is.
Emergency heat running all the time
Emergency heat uses the electric strips in the air handler instead of the heat pump. It is meant for breakdowns, not daily use, because strip heat costs much more to run. If the house only stays warm on emergency heat, or the auxiliary light never goes out, something is wrong outside: a failed compressor, a tripped breaker, a frozen coil or a thermostat set up wrong. On dual-fuel systems the same symptom can mean the furnace takes over too early. We find which, and set the backup properly. For worn-out units, see heat pump installation.
Summer breakdowns during a Philadelphia heat emergency
Heat pumps get blamed for winter trouble, but summer is hard on them too. Philadelphia declared a Heat Health Emergency from Sunday June 22 through Wednesday June 25, 2025, and through a stretch like that a heat pump in cooling mode runs almost nonstop. A weak capacitor, a dirty outdoor coil or a slow leak that went unnoticed all winter tends to show up then, and our phones are answered around the clock to catch it.
How we trace a heat pump fault
Hear the symptoms
Mode, error codes, ice, noises and what the thermostat shows, so the visit starts focused.
Check power and controls
Breakers, capacitors, contactor, thermostat wiring and the signal to the reversing valve.
Test in both modes
Heating and cooling run, a defrost cycle forced, pressures and line temperatures read.
Repair the fault
The failed part replaced, with refrigerant recovered first when the repair is on the sealed system.
Confirm the backup
Heat strips or the dual-fuel furnace checked, and the thermostat's backup settings set.
What to check before you call, and what to leave alone
A few checks are safe and sometimes solve it. Leave the rest to us.
| Safe for you to check | Leave for the tech |
|---|---|
| Thermostat set to heat, not emergency heat or cool | Defrost boards, sensors and control wiring |
| Breakers for both the outdoor unit and air handler | Chipping or melting ice off the coil |
| The filter at the air handler | Refrigerant charge and the reversing valve |
| Snow or leaves blocking the outdoor unit | Electric heat strips and their limit switches |
What affects the cost of a heat pump repair
You see the price before we start. What moves it:
- Whether the fix is electrical or needs refrigerant work
- Parts like a defrost board, reversing valve or fan motor
- Outdoor unit access on roofs, decks or tight side yards
- System age and whether parts are stocked or ordered
- Carrier
- Trane
- Lennox
- Rheem
- Goodman
- York
- Bryant
- American Standard
- Mitsubishi Electric
- Daikin
- Fujitsu
- Weil-McLain
- Burnham
We repair heat pumps from Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem and American Standard, ducted and dual-fuel alike.
Yes. Steam during a defrost cycle is normal and stops after a few minutes. Smoke, a burning smell or ice that never clears is not normal.
Heat pump air feels cooler than furnace air even when working. If it feels truly cool, a stuck reversing valve, low charge or a defrost fault is likely.
Yes, if the heat pump has stopped or iced up. It costs more to run, so switch back to normal heat once the repair is done.
No. Hot water can bend fins and refreezes fast. Switch to emergency heat and call, so we can find out why defrost failed.
Yes. A properly sized heat pump heats well through most winter days here, and cold-climate models go lower still. Strips or a gas furnace cover the coldest nights.