The Normal Defrost Cycle
Heat pumps feel different than gas furnaces. The air coming out of your vents will not be 120 degrees. It usually hovers around 90 degrees. ENERGY STAR keeps a plain rundown of how air-source heat pumps are rated if you want the specs. That feels slightly cool to your hand, but it is warm enough to heat your house. In the middle of a Cincinnati winter, your outdoor unit will frost over. The heat pump will briefly switch into AC mode to melt that ice. This is the normal defrost cycle. It might blow cool air inside for five to ten minutes.
Refrigerant Leaks
If the cold air lasts longer than fifteen minutes, something is actually broken. You might have a refrigerant leak. A system low on refrigerant will struggle to pull heat from the freezing outside air. Climate Zone 4A weather means your unit works incredibly hard during January and February. Small leaks turn into big comfort problems fast. Finding and sealing that leak is ordinary heating repair work, not a reason to replace the system.
Backup Heat Strips
If the heat pump fails, your system relies on electric emergency heat strips. These use a massive amount of electricity. Your Duke Energy bill will skyrocket because those backup strips are running non-stop just to keep the house at 65 degrees. You want to fix the heat pump quickly to keep those energy bills low. If you are wondering whether electric backup is even the right setup for this climate, we compared heat pumps against gas furnaces for Cincinnati winters.
Restoring Your Heat
Let us take a look before your energy bill gets out of hand. Our $89 diagnostic fee covers figuring out exactly what went wrong with the system. We strictly follow a Repairs First policy. We will find the leak, patch it, and recharge the unit. We want your home warm again without draining your bank account on a full system replacement. If your vents are blowing cool right now, book a diagnostic and we will find out why.