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Heat pump repair and replacement in Philadelphia, PA
A heat pump that stops heating in January or stops cooling in July is not a minor inconvenience, it is the only system in the house handling both jobs. Our technicians identify whether the issue is a refrigerant problem, a defrost malfunction, a failed reversing valve, or equipment nearing the end of its usable life, and you know the cost before anyone picks up a tool.
Heat pumps have become one of the most common replacement choices for Philadelphia homeowners moving away from oil or older electric resistance heat, because one outdoor unit and one indoor system handle heating and cooling year-round instead of running two separate pieces of equipment. That also means when a heat pump goes down, the house loses both its heat and its air conditioning at once, not just one or the other. Philadelphia’s housing stock adds another layer: some homes are running a heat pump as the sole heat source, others pair one with an existing furnace in a hybrid setup, and older row homes without ductwork often rely on ductless mini split heat pumps mounted room by room.
Guaranteed Plumbing & Heating has repaired, replaced, and installed heat pump systems across Philadelphia since 1990. Our trucks stock the reversing valves, defrost boards, and refrigerant needed for ducted air source heat pumps, ductless mini splits, and hybrid dual fuel setups, so most calls get resolved on the first visit. Here’s how we work through a heat pump problem, what we handle most, and what the visit itself looks like.
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Request a QuoteWhy heat pump service in Philadelphia is its own kind of job
A heat pump is not a furnace and it is not a standard air conditioner, and treating it like either one is how problems get missed.
It runs in both directions, all year. A heat pump moves heat instead of generating it, pulling warmth from outside air in winter and pushing heat outside in summer using the same refrigerant circuit and reversing valve. That means a fault that would only affect cooling on a standard AC, a low refrigerant charge or a failing compressor, takes down heating too. Per the U.S. Department of Energy, heat pumps can cut electricity use by roughly 50 percent compared to electric resistance heating, but that efficiency depends on the system being sized, installed, and maintained correctly.
The defrost cycle is where things go wrong. Outdoor coils on a heat pump ice over in cold, damp weather, and the system has to run a defrost cycle to clear it before continuing to heat. A stuck defrost control, a failed reversing valve, or a low refrigerant charge can leave a unit frozen solid and blowing cold air on the coldest days of the year. Row homes and twins running older retrofitted ductwork add strain on the air handler side, since undersized or leaky ducts make the system work harder to move the same amount of conditioned air.
This is why waiting out a heat pump that is “running but not really heating” is not a repair strategy. Excess ice on the outdoor unit, a system that keeps cycling on and off, or air that never gets past lukewarm all point to a specific failure, and catching it early is usually what separates a straightforward repair from a full compressor replacement down the road.
Heat pump services we run most often in Philadelphia
We identify the failure before we touch anything, rather than replacing parts on a hunch. The heat pump services we handle most often:
No-heat and no-cool diagnosis
A heat pump that runs but does not heat or cool the house can be a refrigerant leak, a failed reversing valve, a bad defrost control board, a seized compressor, or a thermostat that is not calling for the right mode. Each of those has a completely different fix, so pinning down which one it actually is comes before any parts get ordered.
Reversing valve and refrigerant circuit repair
The reversing valve is what lets a heat pump switch between heating and cooling, and when it fails or sticks, the system gets stuck in one mode or stops moving refrigerant correctly. We test the valve, the refrigerant charge, and the full circuit rather than assuming which one is at fault.
Defrost cycle and control board problems
An outdoor unit that ices over and does not clear itself, or clears too often and short cycles, usually points to a defrost sensor, control board, or airflow problem. We diagnose the control logic and the sensors driving it.
Compressor and outdoor unit repair
The outdoor unit runs in both summer heat and winter cold, which is harder duty than a standard AC condenser sees. We see compressors give out, fan motors wear down, and contactors or capacitors fail electrically, and we’re upfront about it when the compressor damage means the outdoor unit itself needs to come out rather than get patched.
Ductless mini split repair and service
Many Philadelphia row homes run ductless heat pumps room by room because there is no space for ducted equipment. We service both the indoor head units and the outdoor compressor on mini split systems, including refrigerant line issues and indoor unit drainage problems specific to ductless setups.
Heat pump replacement and installation
When a system is old, inefficient, or damaged enough that repair does not make financial sense, we size and install the replacement, ducted or ductless depending on the house. Correct sizing matters for a heat pump even more than for a standard AC, since an undersized unit will lean too hard on backup heat in cold weather and an oversized one short cycles and dehumidifies poorly.
Hybrid and dual fuel system service
Some homes pair a heat pump with an existing furnace so the furnace takes over below a set outdoor temperature. We service both halves of that setup and check that the switchover point is set correctly for the equipment and the house. This often involves gas line sizing to make sure the furnace side can actually support the load.
Pricing, rebates, and financing
A defrost control swap and a full compressor replacement cost nothing alike, so we don’t publish a flat heat pump repair rate. What you get is a firm number once the technician has actually seen the equipment, locked in before a wrench touches anything, and it doesn’t move afterward.
Repair or replace. A heat pump nearing the end of its expected service life with a major component failure is a different calculation than a newer system with a minor part failure. We lay out the honest math on both options and tell you which one actually makes sense for your situation.
Utility rebates. PECO offers rebates on qualifying heating and cooling equipment for its customers, and heat pumps that meet the program’s efficiency requirements can qualify. Rebate amounts vary by equipment type and efficiency rating and the program details change from year to year, so we confirm current eligibility and amounts at the time of your project.
Financing. For heat pump replacements and installations, we offer instant approval financing through GoodLeap.
What to expect when we arrive
- A quick phone walkthrough. Before anyone drives out, we want to know which mode is failing, whether the outdoor unit is frozen, silent, or running constantly, and what type of heat pump is installed, ducted, ductless, or hybrid. That shapes which parts and which technician get sent.
- A full-system check, not a guess. Because a heat pump has to work correctly in both directions, our technician tests it in both heating and cooling before pointing to a cause, including the reversing valve, the defrost sequence, refrigerant pressures, and the electrical side.
- A plain-language explanation of what’s actually wrong. A repairable fault gets a firm quote on the spot. A system that has reached the end of its life gets an honest conversation about replacement, not a hard sell.
- The fix, handled that same visit whenever possible. Our trucks carry reversing valves, defrost boards, capacitors, and the refrigerant and hardware behind most heat pump failures, so most repairs wrap up in one trip.
- A final check before we leave. We run the system through a full heating and cooling cycle, confirm the refrigerant charge and defrost behavior are correct, and make sure the house is actually comfortable in both modes before we call the job done.
What our clients say about our heat pump service
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Credentials that matter for heat pump service in Philadelphia
Heat pump work involves refrigerant handling and high-voltage electrical, and on hybrid systems, coordination with gas-fired backup equipment. The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections requires licensed, insured HVAC work that meets code. EPA regulations require technicians handling refrigerant to hold Section 608 certification, and we comply fully. We have been operating under these standards since 1990.
- Licensed for the HVAC work we do
- BBB accredited
- Insured for the work we do, liability and workers’ compensation on file with L&I
- Family-owned and operated in the Philadelphia area since 1990
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. My heat pump is running but the house is not warming up. What is wrong?
Several things can cause that. A low refrigerant charge, a failing reversing valve, a defrost cycle that is not clearing properly, a thermostat set to the wrong mode, or a system that has simply reached the end of its capacity in very cold weather. We diagnose the specific cause rather than guessing, because each of those problems has a different fix and a different cost.
Q. Why is my outdoor unit covered in ice?
Some frost on the outdoor coil in cold, damp weather is normal, and the system should clear it automatically through a defrost cycle every so often. If the unit is solid with ice, running the defrost cycle constantly, or blowing cold air during defrost for an extended period, something in the defrost control, the sensors, or the refrigerant charge has failed. Do not try to chip the ice off yourself. Turn the system to emergency heat if your thermostat has that setting and call us.
Q. How is a heat pump different from a furnace or a standard AC?
A furnace only heats, using combustion or electric resistance to generate heat. A standard air conditioner only cools. A heat pump does both, using the same refrigerant circuit in reverse depending on the season, which is why the reversing valve and defrost controls are unique to heat pumps.
Q. Can a heat pump actually keep my house warm in a Philadelphia winter?
Yes, for the great majority of the heating season. Modern heat pumps are rated to extract heat from outdoor air well below freezing. On the coldest days, some systems rely on backup electric resistance heat or a paired furnace in a hybrid setup to supplement the heat pump. We size the system and, where relevant, the backup heat source, for the house and the way it is actually used.
Q. Is it worth repairing an older heat pump instead of replacing it?
That depends on which part failed and how old the equipment is. A well-maintained system with a bad capacitor or control board is almost always worth fixing. A compressor or reversing valve failure on an aging unit is a tougher call, since those parts are pricey and everything around them is wearing out at the same pace. We walk you through both sides of that math so you’re deciding with real numbers, not a sales pitch.
Q. Can I install a ductless heat pump in a row home with no existing ductwork?
Yes. Ductless mini split heat pumps are one of the most common solutions for Philadelphia row homes and twins that were never built with ductwork, since each indoor head unit conditions one room or zone without requiring ducts to be run through the house. We evaluate the layout and recommend the number and placement of indoor units that actually fits the home.
Q. Do you handle heat pump service in Bucks County and Montgomery County?
Yes, both counties, dispatched by the same crews working out of Cottman Avenue. The equipment mix shifts a little by area, suburban properties more often run ducted systems tied into existing ductwork, while city row homes tend toward ductless, but every technician diagnoses and repairs both configurations.
Schedule heat pump service in Philadelphia
Call us, and we will get your heating and cooling working again, in one visit.
Heat pump equipment in this city ranges from ducted systems in suburban houses to ductless mini splits mounted room by room in century-old row homes, and sorting out which one you have and what actually failed is where the fix begins. Call 215-342-7200, and we’ll pin down the cause, explain it without the jargon, and lock in a price before anyone starts working. We run crews out of 900 Cottman Avenue covering Philadelphia, Bucks County, and Montgomery County.
Contact us to schedule an appointment today!
