Heat Pump Repair • Calhoun, GA
Blowing cold air? Iced up outside? Not keeping up on a cold night? A heat pump is a system you diagnose with instruments, not guesses. We measure charge, airflow, and defrost before we touch a part.
Written by the team at Anderson Heating, Air & Insulation, serving Calhoun since 1978
The Short Answer
A heat pump moves heat instead of burning fuel, so its warm air feels cooler than a furnace even when it's working. Truly cold air or a unit that won't keep up usually means a low refrigerant charge, a stuck reversing valve, a defrost problem, leaky or undersized ducts, or auxiliary heat not engaging. Some icing and cold air is just normal defrost. The only honest way to tell the difference is to measure pressures, temperatures, and airflow — which is exactly what Anderson does.
Common Heat Pump Problems
What homeowners usually notice first. Some mild air and light frost are normal, so we measure to tell the difference.
Blowing Cool AirHeat pump air feels milder than a furnace’s. Truly cold air usually means a low charge or a stuck reversing valve.Request heat pump repair 
Can’t Keep Up on Cold NightsUsually a low charge, leaky or undersized ducts, or a unit that’s the wrong size, all of which we can measure.Request heat pump repair 
Outdoor Unit Covered in IceLight frost is a normal defrost cycle. Solid ice, or a unit that never defrosts, is a fault worth fixing.Request heat pump repair 
Backup Heat Running Too MuchAuxiliary heat strips that kick in too often keep you warm but cost more to run. We tune when they engage.Request heat pump repair 
Some Rooms Stay ColdDucts leaking heat into the attic can make a working heat pump seem weak.Learn more 
Stuck Cooling in WinterA failed reversing valve or a thermostat setting can keep it from switching to heat.Learn more How It Works
A heat pump is an air conditioner that can run in reverse. In summer it pulls heat out of your house; in winter it pulls heat out of the cold outdoor air and brings it inside. That's why its warm air feels milder than a gas furnace's — and why it has parts an AC-only system doesn't: a reversing valve to switch modes, defrost controls to melt winter frost off the outdoor coil, and usually auxiliary heat strips for the coldest snaps. Diagnose a heat pump like a plain AC and you'll miss half of what can go wrong.
Icing
A light frost on the outdoor coil in cold, damp Gordon County weather is normal — the unit runs a defrost cycle to clear it. A heat pump encased in solid ice, or one that never defrosts, is not. Causes range from a failed defrost sensor to a low charge, restricted airflow, or poor drainage at the base. Because we measure charge and airflow, we can separate harmless defrost from a fault worth fixing.
North Georgia Winters
North Georgia winters are well within a properly sized, correctly charged heat pump's comfort range, and modern units handle the cold far better than old ones. A heat pump that 'can't keep up' is almost always low on charge, starved by leaky or undersized ducts, or mis-sized — all measurable. We can also tune the auxiliary heat so it kicks in only when truly needed, keeping you warm without burning money on the strips.
The Anderson Difference
Anderson is a building-science company with six blower doors and six duct blasters. That's how we prove whether a struggling heat pump is the equipment or the ductwork leaking your heat into the attic — and repair first, replacing only when the numbers say so.
Simple. Clear. No Pressure.
You'll know what's happening, what your options are and what it costs before you decide.
Call or request service, and we'll find the earliest appointment that works for you.
A technician inspects your system and explains what they find in plain language.
Repair, replace or a whole-home fix when it makes sense, with the price before work begins.
You choose what's right for your home and budget. No pressure.
Simple process. Clear answers. No pressure.
Reviews
Rated 4.8 across 670+ Google reviews from Northwest Georgia homeowners.
★★★★★
“Exceptional Service from Start to Finish. The team at Anderson Heating and Air provided outstanding service from beginning to end...”
★★★★★
“I recently had the pleasure of experiencing exceptional service from Josh, Joe, and Eddie. From the moment they arrived, their professionalism and dedication were evident...”
★★★★★
“Josh and Keith did a fantastic job with my air conditioner. Very professional, knowledgeable about what they were doing...”
FAQ
A heat pump's warm air is naturally cooler than a furnace's. Truly cold air usually means a low charge, a stuck reversing valve, a long/stuck defrost cycle, or auxiliary heat not engaging — though some cold air is just normal defrost. We measure pressures and temperatures to tell the difference instead of guessing.
Light frost in cold, damp weather is normal — the unit runs a defrost cycle to melt it. Solid ice or a unit that never defrosts is not: a failed defrost control, low charge, restricted airflow, or poor drainage. We measure charge and airflow to tell harmless defrost from a real fault.
Yes — North Georgia winters are well within a properly sized, correctly charged heat pump's range, and modern units handle cold far better than old ones. A heat pump that 'can't keep up' is usually low on charge, starved by leaky ducts, or mis-sized — all measurable. We can also tune the aux heat so it only runs when truly needed.
It overlaps but adds a winter layer — a heat pump shares the same refrigerant, coil, and airflow fundamentals as an AC, but adds a reversing valve, defrost controls, and often auxiliary heat. We measure charge and airflow and check those heat-mode parts, and our six blower doors and six duct blasters let us prove whether the problem is the equipment or the ducts.
Keep Exploring
Heat Pumps & Mini-SplitsInstallation and service for both.Heat Pump vs. FurnaceWhich makes sense for a North Georgia home.
Ductless Mini-Splits FAQCommon mini-split questions answered.
HVAC Tune-UpsCatch heat-pump problems before winter.ThermostatsHeat pumps need a thermostat set up for them.Serving Northwest Georgia from our Calhoun shop
Ready for a More Comfortable Home?
Call our Calhoun office or send a request, and a real person will get back to you.
Tell us what's going on and we'll take care of the rest.
