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When Your HVAC System Needs Repair

There's ice on my heat pump.
Steam is rising from my heat pump.
Nothing is running.
My unit is making a strange noise.
The auxillary (emergency heat) light is on all the time.

Repair Service

ESA has thoroughly trained technicians able to repair any brand of heat pump, air conditioner or gas furnace. We are proud that our factory trained, NATE certified technicians and professional office staff have earned us the "Best of Howard County" award by Columbia Magazine every year since its inception.

We recognize that you have a busy schedule and do not want to spend time waiting for a technician to arrive. When you call for service, we will give you a two-hour appointment time so that you can plan the rest of your day.

How Much Will Service Cost?

ESA uses a "Flat Rate Price" method to determine the cost of a repair.

• You will be charged a Diagnostic Fee for the technician to come to your home and determine the problem.
  
• The cost to perform the repair is taken from a menu of prices that are specific to your system.
  
• You will know before the technician begins the repair how much it will cost.
  
• You will not be penalized if the technician encounters an unexpected delay or needs to order a part and return to complete the repair.

Do I Have a Problem?

• There's ice on my heat pump.

  
  The outdoor coils of a heat pump maintain a temperature below 32°F during normal heating operation. Because of this, any moisture in the air will tend to cause ice and frost to form on the coils. The more humid it is outside (misty, rainy or sleeting conditions are the worst), the more frost will form on the unit.

  
  

  The heat pump has a defrost cycle built into it, during which it will melt off the accumulated frost. If the frost on your heat pump never seems to go away, and continues to get thicker, this most likely is an indication of a malfunction in the defrost cycle. If you have these symptoms, please contact us for service.
  

• Steam is rising from my heat pump.

  
  All heat pumps have a defrost cycle built into them to eliminate the normal build-up of frost and ice that occurs during the heating cycle. The typical design, a time and temperature defrost, operates in the following manner. A sensor measures the operating temperature of the outdoor coils, if they are below freezing, an internal clock will send the unit into defrost every 90 minutes (actual running time). During defrost, the outdoor fan stops, the compressor keeps running and the unit switches over to the air conditioning mode. This causes the outdoor coils to heat up, melting off any frost and ice that may have accumulated.

  
  

  The defrost cycle will typically last until the coils reach a predetermined temperature, or 10 minutes, whichever comes first. During this defrost period you may see clouds of what looks like smoke pouring off the outdoor unit. This is actually steam, a perfectly normal result of the heated coils, which will be even more pronounced during rainy or humid conditions. During defrost, the system will also bring on the back-up electric heating coils in the furnace to maintain the temperature in the house while the system is in the air conditioning mode.

• Nothing on my heating or cooling system is working.

  
  If nothing at all on your system is working, you most likely have an electrical problem in the system. Check all circuit breakers for the inside and outside sections of your system. Sometimes breakers can be tripped even though they look like they are on, so make sure to reset the breakers for your system by turning them all the way off and then back on again. Also check to make sure that no other power switches have been turned off. Many gas or oil furnaces have power cut-off switches mounted at the top of the basement stairway, or on the side of the furnace. If all switches and breakers seem fine, you will need to schedule a service call.

• My unit is making an odd noise.

  
  In general, the only noises to be immediately concerned about are banging or scraping noises. If the indoor unit sounds like the fan is hitting or scraping, you should shut off the system and call for service. If the outdoor unit is making this type of noise in the heating mode, switch the system to emergency heat at the thermostat and call for service. Other unusual noises should be checked at your convenience.

• The auxiliary (back-up) light on my thermostat is on all of the time.

  
  The auxiliary heat light on your thermostat (usually green or blue, depending on the brand) is a signal that the back-up electric coils in your furnace are energized. There are two situations when this should occur.

  
  

  Whenever the heat pump is in a defrost cycle the system brings on the back-up heat. This combats the fact that during defrost, the system is actually in the air conditioning mode for a short period of time. In addition, the back-up heat comes on whenever the temperature in the house falls more than 2° below the thermostat heat setting. The colder the outdoor temperature, the more often you will see the auxiliary heat light. This is because in colder temperatures, the outdoor unit cannot produce enough heat by itself to maintain the indoor temperature.

  
  

  Below outdoor temperatures of 35° - 40°F, you should expect to see the auxiliary heat light turning on and off on a regular basis. If the light seems to be on more than usual during milder weather, it may be a sign that the outdoor unit is not operating properly. Check to make sure the outdoor unit is running when the heat is on, if not check the circuit breakers. If the outdoor unit is running, and you still think there is a problem, contact us to schedule a service call.