ServicesHeat Pumps
Heat Pump Service in Airway Heights
We repair, maintain and install heat pumps for year-round heating and cooling in your home. We find the actual failed part, fix what can be fixed and keep the compressor working for years. When replacement makes more sense, we size the new unit for real winter loads.
Heating and Cooling From a Single Machine
A heat pump does not burn fuel to make heat. It carries heat from one place to another. During summer it draws warmth out of the house the same way an air conditioner does. During winter a reversing valve sends the refrigerant the other way, so the outdoor coil picks up heat from cold outside air and brings it indoors. Because the same equipment works through most of the year, it racks up wear faster than a furnace or AC that sits idle for a season.
Heat pump trouble usually begins with something minor: a run capacitor losing strength, refrigerant seeping out slowly, an outdoor coil caked with dirt or a defrost sensor giving false readings. Found early, each of these is a modest fix. Ignored, they force the compressor to run hotter and longer, and a worn-out compressor is what finishes a system. We focus on finding those minor faults before they grow.
We repair existing heat pumps and install new ones, and we can set one up alongside a gas furnace for dual-fuel heating. If you need comfort in a room or addition with no central system, our ductless mini-splits page covers that option.
What Our Heat Pump Work Covers
- 01
Diagnosis down to the part
We test capacitors, contactors, the reversing valve solenoid and the defrost control board with meters, not guesses. You get photos of what we found and a written quote before any work begins. The diagnostic fee is credited toward the repair.
- 02
Refrigerant leak checks and charge
Low charge makes a heat pump lose capacity in winter first. We check pressures and superheat or subcooling against the manufacturer's numbers, find the leak, and repair it before recharging so you are not paying to refill a system that will leak again.
- 03
Defrost and auxiliary heat checks
In freezing weather the outdoor coil frosts over and the unit must run defrost cycles to clear it. We confirm the defrost board, sensor and backup heat strips are working so your home stays warm while the coil clears.
- 04
Seasonal tune-ups
Coil cleaning, condensate drain clearing, electrical connection tightening, blower check and a full cycle test in both heating and cooling modes. This is the upkeep that keeps a compressor from overheating.
- 05
New heat pump installation
We do a load calculation for your home, then set the outdoor unit on a pad or bracket raised above snow and drift line. We pressure-test and evacuate the line set before releasing refrigerant. Estimates are free on installations and replacements.
Questions about Heat Pumps?
Call(509) 236-5329Signs Your Heat Pump Needs Attention
Ice that stays on the outdoor unit
Light frost that clears every so often is normal. A coil that stays encased in ice usually points to a failed defrost sensor or board, low refrigerant or poor airflow.
Lukewarm air in heating mode
If vents feel barely warm, the reversing valve may be stuck or the charge may be low. Your backup heat strips then carry the load, and your electric bill climbs.
Running constantly without reaching setpoint
An undersized unit, a dirty coil or a weakening compressor can all cause nonstop runtime. It is worth checking before the extra hours shorten the system's life.
Clicking, buzzing or a loud whoosh
A brief whoosh during defrost is expected. Repeated clicking with no start, or a steady buzz from the outdoor unit, often means a failing capacitor or contactor.
Water pooling or a tripped breaker
A clogged condensate line can leak around the indoor unit. A breaker that keeps tripping is an electrical fault that needs a technician, not another reset.
What Happens on a Heat Pump Call
- 1
You tell us what is going on
Let us know what the unit is doing and when you first noticed it. Breakdowns happen at all hours, so our phone is answered day and night, and there are no emergency or after-hours fees.
- 2
We measure first
Your technician tests the electrical parts, refrigerant pressures, airflow and defrost operation, and photographs any part that is worn or broken so you can see it.
- 3
The quote comes in writing
We walk through the repair, the reason for it and whether the system's age points toward fixing or replacing. No work begins until you sign off.
- 4
We fix it, check it and tidy up
Once the repair is done, we run both heating and cooling and verify the temperature split and pressures. The work area is left the way we found it.
What Sets the Price of a Heat Pump Job
On a repair, the price mostly comes down to which part gave out and whether the refrigerant circuit has to be opened. On an install, it comes down to the unit's size and efficiency and what the house needs to support it. In both cases, the quote is in writing before anything starts.
- Which part failed
- Swapping a contactor or capacitor is fast. Replacing a compressor or reversing valve means recovering the refrigerant, brazing new joints and pulling a vacuum, so the labor runs much higher.
- Refrigerant and how much it takes
- R-22 is out of production, so recharging an older unit that uses it costs more. Fixing the leak takes extra time, but it keeps you from buying the same refrigerant twice.
- Capacity and efficiency rating
- Cold-climate models and higher SEER2 and HSPF2 ratings cost more at the start but keep more of their output when it freezes. We size from a load calculation, so you are not buying capacity the house will never use.
- Electrical work and mounting
- A new system can call for its own circuit, a disconnect, a raised pad or wall bracket, or extra line set length. Each one shows up as its own line on the quote.
- Rebates and tax credits
- Incentives can lower what a new heat pump costs you in the end. Before you decide, we point out which model numbers qualify, and we help you through the Avista rebate and federal tax credit forms.
Common Heat Pump Questions
Can a heat pump keep up when it freezes hard?
Cold-climate units still deliver real heat far below freezing, but their output shrinks as it gets colder. Past a certain temperature, backup heat strips or a gas furnace in a dual-fuel system take over. We size the equipment and choose that changeover point so the house stays warm on the worst nights.
Is it better to repair my heat pump or replace it?
That comes down to which part failed, how old the unit is and what refrigerant it uses. Replacing a sensor or capacitor on a system in mid-life is money well spent. A dead compressor on an aging R-22 unit usually is not, and we will say that directly, with the figures on a written quote.
How often should a heat pump be serviced?
Since it works in winter and summer, two visits a year is best: one ahead of the heating season and one ahead of the cooling season. Cleaning the coil and checking the electrical parts keeps the compressor from overheating, and heat is what wears a heat pump out soonest. See our maintenance plans page for how scheduled tune-ups work.
Do your heat pump repairs come with a warranty?
They do. All of our repairs include a 1-year labor warranty. We are also licensed and bonded in Washington and carry $1M general liability insurance.
Will you help me get rebates on a new heat pump?
We will. Before you choose a unit, we confirm which models meet Avista's rebate requirements and the federal tax credit rules. Once it is installed, we help with the filing so the model numbers and dates on your forms line up.
Keep Your Heat Pump Running Through Every Season
If your outdoor unit is iced over tonight, or you are weighing a new system, one call puts you in touch with a technician who explains what is wrong and what it will cost before any work begins.