Heat Pump Repair in Los Angeles, CA
Homes here need heat from November through April and cooling from June through September. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Los Angeles County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Your heat pump works nearly year round here
Los Angeles County only leaves your heat pump idle about two months a year. It heats from November through April and cools from June through September, so the switch between modes happens over and over, and so do the demands on the reversing valve that makes that switch happen.
Winter nights averaging 41°F are not extreme, but they mean your heat pump runs long hours at low output rather than short bursts, which adds up over a season. Summer afternoons near 87°F push it the other way, keeping the compressor working steadily through those four months. With most homes here on gas heat, the heat pump often carries the cooling load alone, and any drop in output shows up fast as a house that will not cool down.
- 6 months
- November through April, your system heats
- 4 months
- June through September, it cools
- 41°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 87°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
California requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
California licenses HVAC contractors through the Contractors State License Board. The board tests the contractor and keeps a record of that license. It covers the contractor as a whole, not the specific job, so the same license that applies to a heat pump repair applies to whatever work that contractor takes on next.
A heat pump repair usually means opening the refrigerant side of the system. That work needs EPA Section 608 certification. Every technician who handles refrigerant is required to hold it, in every state, and California's license does not replace that requirement. The two sit side by side. One says the state has tested and recorded this contractor. The other says this technician is certified to handle refrigerant without releasing it into the air.
Sources: California Legislative Counsel · Contractors State License Board
- Why is my heat pump blowing cold air?
- In heating mode, a heat pump puts out air that feels cool compared to your skin even when it's working right, because the air coming out is warmer than the room but still well below body temperature. If the air feels truly cold, with no warmth to it at all, check that the thermostat is set to heat and not fan only. A frozen outdoor coil, a low refrigerant charge, or a failed reversing valve will also stop it from heating, and those need a contractor to sort out.
- Why is there ice on my heat pump?
- Some frost on the outdoor unit in winter is normal, and the system defrosts itself on a regular cycle. Ice that builds up thick or stays through a defrost cycle usually means airflow is blocked, either by a dirty coil, a failed fan motor, or something stacked against the unit outside. It can also point to a refrigerant leak, since low charge keeps the coil colder than it should run. Clear anything blocking the unit and have a contractor check it if the ice keeps coming back.
- Why is my heat pump running but not cooling?
- The unit is running but the refrigerant cycle isn't moving heat out of the house, and a few things cause that. A dirty air filter or a blocked outdoor coil cuts off the airflow the system needs to work. A low refrigerant charge means the coil can't pull enough heat from the air, and on 87°F summer afternoons here that shows up fast as warm air at the vents. A failing compressor or reversing valve will also do it, and either one needs a licensed contractor to diagnose.