Troubleshooting Common Ductless Heat Pump Problems
After your ductless heat pump system has been in operation for a number of years you may run into problems. This type of pump uses no ducts (hence the name) to power air around the system. If you find that you are having trouble with the pump, that the heat supply is not as good as it once was, or that you have strange noises occurring when the pump is being used, you may need to troubleshoot your ductless heat pump.
Check Your Power Supply
One of the most common problems with ductless heat pumps is problems occurring between the electricity supply on the inside of the house, and the pump on the outside. If you have a switch on the indoor part of your pump, check that it is still turned to the "On" position, and that the light (if there is one) is on. There is another switch on the heat pump, usually located on the inside of the pump near to the blower door. You will need to check that this is not turned off. Electrical circuit breakers can be found on the side of the pump and should be checked to ensure that they have not been tripped.
Check Your Internal Unit
Your ductless heat pump will be connected to an internal panel, which sends the heat to the rooms of your house. Check that this has not been damaged by members of the family, or pets, and then remove the outer cover. The internal unit has a thermostat that controls the heat on the inside of the home, and this needs to be checked. Make sure that your thermostat has not run out of batteries or has not become disconnected from the electricity supply.
You may find that the LED display is not on, and this is an indicator that you have no power. The thermostat should have a button on the outside of the case, like a panic button, which will reset the device if you press it and hold. You should hear a beep, which will indicate that you can now reset the time. If there is no beep, your thermostat has either run out of power, or failed for some other reason. If in doubt, replace the thermostat.
Check your Outdoor Unit
Once your indoor unit is working, check the outside part. This will usually be directly adjoining your inside panel. If you cannot hear the pump running when you are close to it, this suggests that the pump has failed. If you are struggling to get it to work in cold weather, you may need to remove any frost or ice which has formed on the pump, and then press "Defrost" on the external control panel. This should allow the pump to start working again, once the system has warmed up.
