Heat Pump Repair in San Bernardino, CA
Homes here need heat from November through March and cooling from May through October. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers San Bernardino County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Eleven months of run time wears a heat pump down
Your heat pump works almost all year here. It heats from November through March, then switches over and cools from May through October, leaving it idle only a few weeks total.
Summer afternoons averaging 99°F push the compressor hard for long stretches. Winter nights averaging 39°F keep it calling for heat, then in a few months it has to reverse and start cooling again. That back and forth between modes wears on the reversing valve, the part that decides whether the unit heats or cools. When it starts sticking, the system blows cold air when you want heat, or the outdoor unit runs while the house doesn't respond.
- 5 months
- November through March, your system heats
- 6 months
- May through October, it cools
- 39°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 99°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
California requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The license is issued to the contractor, not to this particular job. It means the state tested and recorded that contractor before they touch anyone's system, and CSLB keeps that record on file. A repair like this one falls under that same license, since heat pump work is HVAC work in California's eyes, no separate paperwork for the specific task.
A heat pump repair almost always means opening the refrigerant side, and that part is not covered by the state license at all. Federal law requires whoever does that work to hold EPA Section 608 certification, and that rule applies the same way in every state, San Bernardino County included.
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 next to your skin even when it is working right, because the air from the vents is warmer than the room but still well below body temperature. If the air is actually cold, not just cool, check the outdoor unit for ice or a fan that is not turning. It could also mean the system has switched into a defrost cycle, which is normal on cold mornings and should pass. If the air stays cold and never warms up, or you feel no heat at all, a contractor should check the reversing valve and refrigerant charge.
- Why is there ice on my heat pump?
- Some frost on the outdoor unit during winter is normal, especially on cold nights, and the system should clear it on its own through a defrost cycle. If the ice keeps building and does not melt off, or it covers the coil in a thick layer, something is stopping the defrost cycle from working. That can be a stuck defrost control, a failed fan motor, or low refrigerant. A dirty filter or a blocked outdoor unit can also cut off airflow and lead to ice that does not clear. If the ice is not gone between cycles, have a contractor check it before it damages the compressor.
- Why is my heat pump running but not cooling?
- If the outdoor unit and indoor fan are both running but the air is not cold, the most common causes are a dirty filter blocking airflow, a coil covered in dirt or ice, or refrigerant that has leaked out. On a 99°F afternoon, a system low on refrigerant or short on airflow will struggle to keep up even if every part is running. Check the filter first since that is the one thing you can look at yourself. If the filter is clean and the system still is not cooling, a licensed contractor will need to check the refrigerant charge and the coil.