Heat Pump Repair and Installation in Spangle, WA

Heating and cooling from one outdoor unit

A heat pump moves heat instead of making it. In winter the outdoor coil pulls heat from cold air and the compressor concentrates it for your home. In summer the reversing valve flips the refrigerant flow and the same equipment works as an air conditioner. When it runs right, it covers most of the year on electricity alone.

Storms are hard on this equipment because the outdoor unit sits exposed. Ice storms can encase the coil faster than the defrost cycle can clear it, wind drives branches and debris into the fan, and outages followed by a sudden return of power can damage the control board, contactor or capacitor. Winters around Spangle regularly drop well below freezing, so a heat pump that falls back on electric backup strips can push your power bill up quickly.

We repair all of this, and we install new heat pumps when an older unit is no longer worth fixing. If your home has no ducted system, our page on ductless mini-splits covers the room-by-room option.

What our heat pump service covers

Full diagnostic

We check refrigerant pressures and temperature split, test the compressor amperage, read the defrost board and confirm the reversing valve shifts. Approve the repair and the amount you paid for the diagnostic comes off your repair bill.

Electrical component repair

Failed run capacitors, pitted contactors and surge-damaged control boards are common after outages. We test each part with a meter before replacing it, so you are not paying for guesses.

Defrost and ice problems

We check the defrost sensor, the board's timing and the outdoor fan motor. A unit that stays iced for hours usually has one of these failing, or a low refrigerant charge.

Refrigerant leak work

Low charge means a leak, not a part that wears out. We locate the leak, explain whether it can be repaired at the coil or line set, and recharge to the manufacturer's specification.

New heat pump installation

We size equipment with a room-by-room load calculation, set the outdoor unit on a raised pad above snow line, and pull the required permits. An estimate for an installation or replacement costs you nothing.

Avista rebate and tax credit paperwork

Qualifying heat pumps can earn Avista rebates and federal tax credits. We help you file for both, pulling together the model numbers, matched-system data and efficiency ratings each form asks for.

Signs your heat pump needs attention

• Solid ice that will not clear

  Light frost that melts every 30 to 90 minutes is normal. A coil buried in ice for half a day points to a failed defrost sensor, board or fan motor.

• Cool air in heating mode

  Lukewarm air from the vents can mean a stuck reversing valve, low refrigerant or a compressor that is not starting.

• Strip heat doing all the work

  When the thermostat displays AUX or EM for most of the day, the compressor is not keeping up and the resistance strips are heating your home instead. A jump in the electric bill tends to follow.

• Humming but no fan after an outage

  A buzzing outdoor unit with a still fan often has a burned-out capacitor or a welded contactor from a power surge. Turn it off at the thermostat to protect the compressor.

• Short cycling or loud grinding

  Rapid on-off cycles strain the compressor, and grinding usually means a fan blade struck debris or a motor bearing is failing.

How a heat pump visit runs

1. 1

   Your call

   Tell us what the unit is doing and what the weather was like. We can walk you through safe steps, such as switching to emergency heat and clearing snow from around the unit, while we head your way.

2. 2

   On-site testing

   We inspect the outdoor unit and the indoor air handler, take electrical and refrigerant readings, and photograph anything damaged so you can see what we found.

3. 3

   Price on paper first

   Before we replace a single part, the price is written down for you to approve. It comes with a straight opinion on whether repair is worth it given the unit's age and condition.

4. 4

   Repair or install, then verify

   After the work, we run the system in heating and cooling, force a defrost cycle and check the temperature split. We clean up before we leave.

What sets the price of heat pump work

For repairs, the price mostly comes down to which part failed and whether the sealed refrigerant system has to be opened. For installs, it follows the size and kind of system your house calls for. We go over each line of the quote with you so you can weigh the options, and we charge no emergency or after-hours fees.

Which part gave out

Replacing a capacitor or contactor is a small job. A new compressor, reversing valve or outdoor coil is a large one, and on an aging unit it often makes replacement the better choice.

Kind and amount of refrigerant

R-22 is no longer made, so recharging older units is costly. Newer refrigerants are cheaper, though fixing the leak still takes labor.

Built for cold weather

Models rated to keep heating near zero degrees cost more to buy than standard ones, but they rely much less on backup strips over a full winter.

Electrical and site prep

A new circuit, extra panel capacity, a raised pad or a longer line set adds to the install price, as do permit fees.