Heat Pump Repair in Ocala, FL
Homes here need heat from December through February and cooling from March through October. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Marion County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Your heat pump runs almost all year here
In Marion County, a heat pump works 11 months out of the year. It cools from March through October, with summer afternoons averaging 91°F, then switches over to heat from December through February when winter nights average 47°F. It rarely gets a real break.
That back and forth between heating and cooling puts wear on the reversing valve, the part that decides which way the system runs. The long cooling season keeps the outdoor unit's compressor under load through most of the year, and with 86.8% of homes here heating with electricity, the heat pump carries that load alone, with no furnace to share it. If yours starts blowing air that is not warm enough on a cold night, or not cool enough on a hot afternoon, that valve or compressor is often why.
- 3 months
- December through February, your system heats
- 8 months
- March through October, it cools
- 47°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 91°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Florida requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Construction Industry Licensing Board issues that license, and it covers the contractor rather than any single job. The same license that qualifies someone to install a heat pump also qualifies them to repair one.
Repairing a heat pump usually means opening the refrigerant side of the system, and federal law requires anyone who does that, in Florida or any other state, to hold EPA Section 608 certification. That certification is separate from the state license. It covers the handling of refrigerant, not the rest of the work.
Sources: Florida Legislature · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
- Why is my heat pump blowing cold air?
- In heating mode, a heat pump gives off air that feels cool even when it is working right, because the air coming out is warmer than the room but still well below body temperature. If the air is actually cold, not just cool, the system may be stuck in defrost or the reversing valve may have failed to switch back to heating. It could also be low on refrigerant, which keeps it from pulling enough heat out of the outdoor air. A contractor can check the reversing valve and refrigerant charge to find out which one it is.
- Why is there ice on my heat pump?
- A heat pump forms some frost on the outdoor coil in cold weather, and it should melt off on its own during a defrost cycle a few times a day. If ice is building up faster than that or staying on the coil, something is keeping the unit from defrosting properly. This can come from a fan motor that has slowed down, low refrigerant, or a defrost control board that is not triggering the cycle. With nights here averaging 47°F in winter, the outdoor coil runs cold often enough that a defrost problem shows up quickly.
- Why is my heat pump running but not cooling?
- If the outdoor unit and indoor blower are both running but the air is not cold, the system is likely low on refrigerant or the outdoor coil is dirty or blocked. A dirty air filter can also cut off airflow enough that the coil freezes and stops cooling the air. With summer afternoons here reaching 91°F, a system that is not cooling well falls behind fast. A contractor can check the refrigerant charge and airflow to find the cause.