Heat Pump Repair in Vancouver WA
Heat pumps do two jobs, which means they can fail in two directions — and a heat pump that cools fine in August can still leave you cold in December. Tri-Tech services ducted and ductless heat pumps of every make across Clark and Cowlitz Counties.
Call (360) 891-2002 or request a callback below.
What we see most often
- Heating but not cooling, or the reverse. Usually the reversing valve.
- Running constantly in cold weather. Sometimes normal — heat pumps run longer and gentler than a furnace. Sometimes a refrigerant charge problem or a failed auxiliary heat strip.
- Stuck in defrost, or iced over. A defrost control or sensor fault. A little frost is expected; a block of ice is not.
- Outdoor unit not running. Contactor, capacitor, or the compressor itself.
- Heating from the backup only. Expensive, and easy to miss until the electric bill arrives.
Heat pumps in this climate
The Pacific Northwest is close to ideal for heat pumps — mild, wet winters, and cooling loads that stay moderate. They also behave differently from a furnace, and some of what looks like a fault is normal operation. We will tell you which one you have.
Why Tri-Tech
Family-owned in Vancouver since 1992. An authorized York dealer, and we service every major make. Washington HVAC licence TRITEHI952LL, Oregon CCB #161426. 24/7 emergency service.
Are your ducts the problem?
Contact Tri-Tech Heating, Inc. to schedule repair or annual service.
What goes wrong with a heat pump
A heat pump runs all year, which means roughly twice the operating hours of a furnace and twice the wear. It also fails in two directions: a unit that cools perfectly in August can still leave you cold in December, because heating and cooling use the system differently.
- Not heating, but cooling fine. Often the reversing valve, the defrost control, or auxiliary heat that is not coming on when it should.
- Running constantly in cold weather. Sometimes normal — heat pumps run long and steady by design — and sometimes a sign of low charge or a defrost fault.
- Iced up outside and staying that way. Frost on the outdoor coil in winter is normal; a unit that never clears it has a defrost problem.
- Blowing cool air in heating mode. Heat pump supply air is cooler than furnace air and that surprises people. Genuinely cold air is different, and worth a call.
- Short cycling, or tripping the breaker. Electrical or control, and not something to keep resetting.
- Emergency heat running all the time. Expensive, and it usually means the heat pump itself is not carrying the load.
How a heat pump repair visit runs
- What you tell us. Which mode is failing, when it started, and whether it has ever worked properly in that mode.
- Diagnosis on site. Refrigerant pressures, defrost cycle, reversing valve, auxiliary heat, airflow, controls and the thermostat all get tested rather than assumed.
- What we found, before we fix it. You hear what failed and what it takes to put right before work starts.
- Repair and verify. The system is run in both heating and cooling after the repair, because fixing one mode can leave the other broken.
What to check before you call
- Thermostat batteries, mode and setpoint — and whether it has been left on Emergency Heat
- Both breakers, indoor and outdoor
- The filter, which chokes airflow in both modes
- The outdoor unit: leaves, snow drift, or anything stacked against it
Past that, stop. Do not chip ice off the coil, add refrigerant, or keep resetting a breaker that keeps tripping.
Ducted or ductless — we service both
Tri-Tech works on air-source and geothermal heat pumps, ducted systems and ductless mini-splits. We are a Mitsubishi Electric dealer and a York certified dealer, and we service other makes as well.
Related work
If the unit is past repairing, see heat pump installation or ductless mini-splits. For ground-source systems see geothermal and hydronics. If the heat is fine but certain rooms never are, the answer is usually ductwork. For gas heating instead, see furnace repair.
Where we work
Vancouver, Salmon Creek and Camas, and across Clark and Cowlitz Counties — including Woodland, Kalama, Longview, Battle Ground, Hockinson and Ridgefield. If you are just outside that, call and ask; the office will tell you straight.
Licensed, insured and guaranteed
- HVAC license #TRITEHI952LL
- CCB license #161426
- N.A.T.E. certified technicians
- Licensed and insured
- We guarantee our work 100%
- Financing available through Synchrony, subject to application
Heat pump questions we get
Is it normal for a heat pump to run for hours?
Yes. Long, steady running at low output is how they are meant to work, and it is more efficient than short bursts. What is not normal is running constantly while never reaching the setpoint.
Why does the air feel cool even though it is heating?
Heat pump supply air is typically cooler than furnace air. It still heats the house — it just does not feel hot at the register. Air that is genuinely cold is a different problem.
What is Emergency Heat, and should I use it?
It bypasses the heat pump and runs electric resistance heat instead. It is a backup, not a setting to leave on — it costs considerably more to run. If you have needed it, something is wrong with the heat pump.
Should I clear snow or ice off the outdoor unit?
Clearing snow from around it and off the top is fine. Chipping ice off the coil is not — the fins and the refrigerant tubing damage easily, and a unit that will not defrost itself needs diagnosing anyway.
Do you charge for an estimate on a repair?
Free estimates are on new equipment and installations. A repair means a technician has to come out and diagnose it, which is a service call.
Get your heat pump looked at
Call (360) 891-2002. The office is open Monday to Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, and Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm. Emergency service is answered 24/7 on the same number. You can also send us your details and we will call you back.