Troubleshooting A Loud Heat Pump
A heat pump is a combination HVAC appliance that is designed to both heat and cool your home by using a heat exchanger to move heat in and out of your home, depending on the season. Like all major heating and cooling systems, heat pumps can generate quite a lot of noise while operating. However, there are some specific noises that can point to a serious problem with your heat pump system. Understanding the noises that a heat pump can make while working and what problems they point to can help you identify problems early so they can be fixed before they become serious.
Grinding and Squealing
Any sort of grinding or squealing noises that occur when your heat pump turns on point to damage to the motor or fans of the heat pump. Those sounds are the result ofexcessive and improper friction; sometimes, it's simply a matter of a loose screw in a fan or some other minor fix, but other times it can point to excessive wear to the motor itself, which requires a complete replacement. You should never continue to run a heat pump that is making grinding and squealing sounds, as you can cause serious and expensive damage fairly quickly.
Rattling and Shaking
Rattling noises are thankfully a little less serious than any sort of grinding. If your heat pump rattles when it works, the issue will most likely lie with loose vent covers, which you can fix yourself with a screwdriver and some elbow grease. However, if that doesn't fix the rattling completely, your ductwork may be partially to blame. This is usually again just an issue of a loose screw in a bracket holding the ductwork in place, but this problem requires a little more work to get to since ductwork is not always easily accessible, and so you may need to contact a HVAC specialist.
Popping
Finally, a popping sound associated with your heat pump's operation is again usually the fault of faulty ductwork. Popping occurs due to a break in the ductwork itself, causing the metal to flap or vibrate as air passes through the system. This is slightly more serious than a rattling sound, since this opening allows for heat to either enter or exit your ductwork, reducing the efficiency of your heat pump and increasing your energy bills over the long run. Therefore, you should contact a professional from a company like High Tech Heating & Air Conditioning Inc to take a look at your ductwork as soon as you notice the first instance of a popping sound associated with your heat pump.