Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my indoor unit blowing cold air?

There can be three reasons for this that are normal functioning:

  1. Your unit is in standby and just gently circulating the air in the room, which can feel like it’s blowing cold even though it’s not.
  2. The system is going through a defrost cycle to keep the outdoor unit from freezing over. This may last for a couple of minutes.
  3. The system is set to either automatic mode, which we don’t recommend, or it’s actually in air conditioning mode. 

However, if you rule out these possibilities, then a service call may be needed.

Why has the outside unit fan stopped?

The outdoor unit fan will only run when the indoor unit is actively heating or cooling. When it’s in standby, the outdoor unit fan will stop turning.

Why is my indoor unit making funny noises?

Heat pumps sometimes make crackling, popping, clicking, gurgling, and swooshing noises. These sounds are expected for two reasons:

  1. The plastic in your unit is both expanding and contracting when your system is running, so it might make popping or clicking noises.
  2. Your heat pump needs to keep from freezing up and will switch to defrost mode for several minutes. This is often accompanied by a loud swooshing sound or crackling and gurgling noises for a few minutes when your heat pump switches into defrost mode. You may even see a cloud of steam, like vapor. This is normal.

Does my heat pump bring in air from the outside?

No, the heat pump only sends heating or cooling energy, via refrigerant, to the indoor unit through a copper tube. The indoor unit simply circulates the air in the room, filtering and cooling or heating the air while circulating it.

Why is my heat pump running all the time?

This has to do with the continuous operation of the fan after it has reached the temperature set on the remote control or thermostat. This occurs for two reasons:

  1. To continually monitor room temperature.
  2. To keep circulating and cleaning the air.

Is there water in my heat pump system?

No, there is no water in the system. However, condensation can collect, particularly when it’s in cooling mode. Some drains carry any collected water outside.

Do heat pumps run only on electricity?

Yes, they do not use any fossil fuels or propane, only electricity.

How much money will my heat pump system save me?

Each situation is unique; however, the energy savings are roughly 40−60% when converting from other electric furnaces or propane.

Why doesn’t my indoor unit immediately start blowing warm air as soon as I turn it on?

When your system has been turned off, it can take several minutes to gather enough heat energy from the outdoor air to begin sending enough heat energy to the indoor unit and begin heating. In very cold weather, this can take as long as 20 minutes.

Why are my vanes pointing straight out instead of downward? Is it the way I have it set?

When in standby, the vanes will point straight out. When your system comes out of standby, the vanes will move to the position you have set on your remote control.

Why is my indoor unit fan barely blowing?

Usually, this means your indoor unit is in standby.

Why doesn’t the temperature in my room match the temperature I’ve set for my indoor unit?

The temperature sensor for the indoor unit is located on the side of the unit itself, so it senses the temperature immediately around the unit itself. It is important to have the fan speed set high enough, and the vanes angled in a way to push the heat out into the room and away from the unit itself, given that heat rises.

Does my remote control tell the temperature in the room?

No, the remote control does not have a temperature sensor in it.

What does it mean for the system to be in standby mode?

The indoor unit will go into standby when the temperature sensor indicates it has reached the temperature you have set the controller to.

Can I have my heat pump units set to different modes?

The answer to this question is NO if you own a multi-head system. All mini-split systems are equipped with different modes. However, when you have more than one indoor unit on the same outdoor unit/compressor, they must all operate in the same mode for the whole system to work. This also means you can’t set a multi-head system to automatic mode.