Get your heating and cooling system back in action
Heat pump systems use heat transfer to warm or cool your home.
The solution could be as simple as clearing debris from the fan or resetting the thermostat.
Other possible explanations for the problem include a damaged motor or power supply issues.
You shouldn’t try to use your heat pump if the fan isn’t working.
Struggling with a heat pump fan that’s not spinning? Electric heat pumps have several moving parts, and when one stops working, it can shut down your entire HVAC system. For example, if your heat pump fan is not spinning, it could cut off your heating and cooling and put your system at risk of overheating. Here are a few reasons why the heat pump is malfunctioning and what to do to resolve the issue.
When you’re troubleshooting or clearing out your heat pump fan, never stick your fingers inside the unit. Use a stick to clear out debris and try other troubleshooting methods, instead.
Sometimes, fixing your heat pump fan is as simple as clearing out leaves, dirt, or other debris that may be clogging it. To do this, turn off the power to your heat pump, then take off the top part of the unit. If you see anything blocking the fan, use a stick (not your hand) to remove it.
A fan might also stop spinning if the motor is on its way out. You can test this by pushing the blades gently (again, with a stick or tool—not your fingers). If the fan starts moving, this may be a sign that the motor is about to die and you’ll need to replace it soon.
If you tried to move the fan, but it didn’t budge, you could be dealing with a dead capacitor or motor. Testing a capacitor is fairly straightforward, but you should be comfortable using a multimeter and working with electrical systems. If not, hire a local heat pump professional to diagnose and fix the problem.
In some cases, your fan might not be spinning because your heat pump isn’t on. There are a few reasons why this might happen, but one of the simplest explanations is that your thermostat settings have changed (either accidentally or intentionally by someone else in your house). If so, set your thermostat to the correct setting and temperature to see if that solves the problem.
Another reason why your fan and heat pump might not be working? It isn’t receiving any power. Heat pumps use a lot of electricity, which can trip your circuit breaker. If your heat pump fan is not spinning in cold weather, it could be because the chilly temperatures forced the unit into overdrive, tripping the circuit breaker. You may be able to fix it by resetting the breaker to turn the power (and heat pump) back on.
After years of use, your heat pump fan might just die out from normal wear and tear. In those situations, there’s nothing you could’ve done to stop that from happening. However, there are other scenarios where you might be able to prevent (or at least delay) problems with your fan.
For one, it’s important to keep the area around your heat pump clear so nothing falls into it and damages the fan or other components. This means trimming any trees or bushes that hang over the unit.
You should also keep your heat pump clean and well-maintained. It’s best to check the filter once a month, swapping it out whenever it’s dirty or clogged. Every eight to 12 weeks, take the time to clean your fans and coils. Even if everything seems like it’s working properly, you should still schedule professional maintenance at least once per year and hire a local heat pump repair company to address any major issues.
You should never use a heat pump if the fan isn’t running. One of the fan’s most important jobs is cooling down the compressor—and if the fan isn’t on, the compressor could overheat and break. Installing a new heat pump compressor costs between $800 and $3,000, so this is something you want to avoid at all costs.
Your heat pump may have a reset button, depending on the model and manufacturer. If yours does, it may be on the bottom of the outdoor unit. But before you push it and reset the entire heat pump system, it’s better to try and identify the specific problem first. Check your user manual or call in an HVAC pro if you need help troubleshooting.
There could be several reasons why your outside heat pump isn’t turning on. One possible explanation is that there’s no power source due to a tripped circuit breaker. Other reasons that your heat pump isn’t turning on include a broken capacitor, faulty reversing valve, closed registers, or changed thermostat settings.
