You've come home from a hard day at work and all you want to do is get nice and warm and start relaxing, only to be dismayed because your heat pump is blowing cold air instead of hot. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning professionals get calls on this topic all the time, even in the greater Jacksonville, Florida area where it is so warm through much of the year.

At David Gray Heating & Air, we help customers determine if the heat pump is actually blowing cold air or if it just feels like it is blowing cold because of the difference between their body temperature and that of the room. Each of our talented technicians can quickly drill down to the heart of the problem and get your heat pump back up and running. If it is beyond repair, we will advise you on what replacement model would be best for your family's particular needs.

Before you call for HVAC professionals to check out your problematic heat pump, here are some things to check and consider:

Does it Just Feel Cold Because it's Cooler Than Your Body Temperature?

Healthy individuals typically have a body temperature of about 98.6 (baseline temperatures do vary a bit among people). You don't want to heat your home to 98 degrees, of course.

When the heat pump is putting out air at a temperature of about 80 or 90 F, you may get tricked into feeling that it's cold because the heated air is still cooler than your body temperature. Look at the thermostat to verify how cold it actually is in your home.

Is Your Heat Pump Compressor Operating?

A broken compressor could easily be the culprit. A heat pump's compressor is designed to bring in warm air from outside to distribute in the home. When a compressor cannot cool the system's coolant, the HVAC system cannot generate warm air. Your HVAC technician will quickly determine if this is the problem with your heat pump.

Is Your Pump Frozen?

When temperatures fall drastically, your heat pump may actually get frozen, often with ice collecting on it. Your task is to try to remove the accumulated ice to see if that will remedy the situation. If not, a qualified technician should come and check out the equipment.

Is the Defroster Running?

Your home's heat pump will activate periodically, such as once every 60 minutes or so in order to keep ice from accumulating. When this is occurring, the system will indeed blow some cold air into your house.

This is a natural aspect of the defrosting process and soon you should start feeling warm air blowing again. If the system continues to blow cold air, though, it is time to have an HVAC professional get into the system and see what is causing your home to stay cold.

The knowledgeable professionals at David Gray Heating & Air are devoted to keeping Jacksonville, Florida homeowners comfortable with their HVAC equipment. We offer convenient annual inspections and maintenance services to ensure you will keep the system running in tip-top shape throughout the year. If you are experiencing a problem with your home's heat pump or have more questions about why it might be malfunctioning, please contact the experts at David Gray Heating & Air today.