Heat Pump Repair and Replacement in Sarasota
Across much of Southwest Florida, the "AC" is really a heat pump: one outdoor unit that cools all summer and runs in reverse on the handful of chilly nights. It shares most of an air conditioner's problems and adds a few of its own.
The short version
A heat pump is an air conditioner that can run backward. In cooling mode it fails like any AC. In heating mode, look for a reversing valve stuck in one position, defrost problems and backup heat strips that do all the work.
- Typical asks: heat pump not cooling, not heating, blowing cold air in heat mode, steam from the outdoor unit
- Ask about: reversing valve, defrost board, heat strips
Heat pumps estimate request
About a minute. Send the details and expect a call back to talk the project through.
- How common
- Many Southwest Florida homes heat and cool with a heat pump
- Unique parts
- Reversing valve, defrost controls, backup heat strips
- First cold night
- A brief dusty smell from heat strips is common
- Replacement
- Usually like for like, sized with a load calculation
How a heat pump differs from a straight AC
In cooling mode a heat pump moves heat from inside the house to the outdoor coil, exactly like an air conditioner. In heating mode a reversing valve swaps the direction so the outdoor coil gathers heat from the outside air and releases it indoors. Southwest Florida winters are mild, so the heating side gets little use, but it matters on the occasional cold front when overnight lows drop into the 40s or below, as the National Weather Service Tampa Bay office notes in its winter outlooks (National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area).
Common heat pump problems
Cooling problems
Everything on the AC repair page applies: capacitors, contactors, drain lines, airflow and refrigerant leaks.
Blowing cold air in heat mode
A reversing valve stuck in the cooling position, a thermostat set up for a different kind of system, or a short defrost cycle. During defrost the system briefly switches to cooling to melt frost off the outdoor coil, which can feel like a burst of cool air.
Steam or frost on the outdoor unit
Light frost on a cold morning and a puff of steam during defrost are normal. A thick block of ice that does not clear is not, and points to a defrost control, sensor or airflow problem.
Burning smell on the first cold night
Many Florida heat pumps have electric heat strips in the air handler as backup. When they switch on for the first time in a year, dust burns off and a brief smell is common. A smell that persists, or any sign of scorching, means turn the system off and have it checked.
High bills in a cold snap
If the heat strips are doing most of the heating, bills rise quickly. That can point to a thermostat setting, a low refrigerant charge or a heat pump that cannot keep up.
Heat strips and your electric bill
Electric resistance heat uses much more power than the heat pump itself. Florida Power & Light's energy tips suggest keeping winter thermostat settings moderate (Florida Power & Light, energy-saving tips). Big jumps in the set point can bring the strips on even when the heat pump alone could handle the load.
Replacing a heat pump
If the house already has a heat pump, a new heat pump is usually the natural choice. The same rules as an AC replacement apply: a load calculation, a matched indoor and outdoor system, a proper drain and a permit. Older heat pumps often use R-22, which is no longer produced (U.S. EPA, phaseout of HCFCs including R-22). Variable-speed heat pumps run longer at low speed in summer, which helps with humidity.
Ductless heat pumps
Mini-splits are heat pumps too. They suit additions, garages and lanais that the main system does not reach. See mini-splits.
Details to send with the form
Note whether the problem shows up in cooling, heating or both; whether the outdoor fan is spinning; whether there is ice, steam or a smell; and roughly how old the system is. A photo of the thermostat screen and the outdoor unit label helps too.
Sizing up the job: see what shapes heat pump work on the estimate-factors page. It lists what moves the scope, never a price.
Further reading
Sources for this page: National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area; Florida Power & Light, energy-saving tips; U.S. EPA, phaseout of HCFCs including R-22.
Heat Pump Repair & Replacement: what people ask
Is my AC a heat pump?
If your outdoor unit provides heat in winter and there is no gas furnace, it is likely a heat pump. The label on the outdoor unit or the thermostat settings usually say so.
Why is my heat pump blowing cold air in heat mode?
It may be in a defrost cycle, the reversing valve may be stuck, or the thermostat may be set up for a different system.
Is steam from the outdoor unit normal?
A brief puff of steam during defrost is normal on a cold morning. Thick ice that does not clear is not.
Why does my heat smell like burning the first time?
Dust on the backup heat strips burns off when they switch on after months of rest. A smell that lingers should be checked.
Do heat pumps work in Florida?
Yes. Mild winters suit heat pumps well, and the cooling side works like any central AC.
Heat pump requests by town
Barrier-island salt air, inland heat, house age and which permit office applies all change from one community to the next. Pick yours for local notes.
Sarasota and the keys
North: Manatee line
South County
Often planned alongside
AC Replacement & New Systems
Replacing an aging or failed central AC, sized for Gulf Coast heat and humidity, with permits and storm-ready mounting.
AC Repair
Warm air, no air, frozen coils, leaking drain lines, noisy fans and tripped breakers, diagnosed on Gulf Coast systems.
Ductless Mini-Splits
Ductless cooling for additions, garages, enclosed lanais and rooms the central system cannot reach.
Planning heat pumps work?
Send the details and expect a call back to talk the project through.