Heat Pump Repair in Norfolk, VA
Homes here need heat from November through April and cooling from May through September. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Norfolk will get in touch.
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Your heat pump works almost all year here
Norfolk needs heat or cooling 11 months out of the year. Your heat pump runs November through April to keep the house warm, then switches over and runs May through September to keep it cool. That leaves it almost no time off, and almost no stretch where a problem can sit unnoticed before the next season asks something of it again.
Winter nights here average 35°F, cold enough that the system is cycling on and off through the night rather than running steady. Summer afternoons average 86°F, and that pushes the compressor hard on the other end. Add in the wind. Norfolk has logged 50 damaging wind events over the past ten years, along with 6 winter storms, and an outage that follows can cut the system off mid-cycle. Most heat pumps come back on by themselves once power returns. If yours does not restart, or it is blowing air that is not the right temperature, that is worth a look.
- 6 months
- November through April, your system heats
- 5 months
- May through September, it cools
- 35°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 86°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Virginia requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
Virginia's license is held by the contractor as a business. It is the Board for Contractors' record of that company, tested and on file, not something issued for your particular repair. The state sets one exception. Work under $1,000 does not need a licensed contractor at all, so a small heat pump repair could fall under that line depending on what it ends up costing.
A heat pump repair usually means opening the refrigerant side of the system. That work falls under federal rule, not state rule. Whoever does it needs EPA Section 608 certification, in Virginia or any other state. That certification and the Board's license are separate things. A repair small enough to skip the license requirement can still require the certification.
Sources: Virginia General Assembly · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
- Why is my heat pump blowing cold air?
- In heat mode, your heat pump moves heat from the outside air into your house, and that air at the vent will feel cool to the touch even when it's working right, since it's usually a bit below your skin temperature. If the air feels truly cold, not just cool, check your thermostat is set to heat and not fan only. A frozen outdoor unit, a low refrigerant charge, or a failed reversing valve will also cause this, and any of those needs a licensed contractor to check.
- Why is there ice on my heat pump?
- Some frost on the outdoor unit during cold weather is normal, and your heat pump should clear it on its own with a defrost cycle every so often. Heavy ice that doesn't melt off usually means airflow is blocked, the coil is dirty, or the defrost control has failed. Check that nothing is stacked against the unit and that the coil fins aren't caked with dirt or leaves. If the ice keeps building, a contractor will need to look at the defrost board and the refrigerant charge, since low charge is a common cause.
- Why is my heat pump running but not cooling?
- If the outdoor unit and indoor fan are both running but the air coming out isn't cold, the most common cause is low refrigerant from a leak. A dirty filter or blocked outdoor coil can also choke off airflow enough that the system can't pull heat out of your house on an 86°F afternoon. Start with the filter, since that's the one thing you can check yourself. Anything involving the refrigerant line needs a technician with EPA 608 certification, which any licensed contractor doing this repair will have.