Heat Pump Repair in Atlanta, GA
Homes here need heat from November through April and cooling from May through September. If your system quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Fulton County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Your heat pump runs almost all year here
Fulton County only gives your heat pump one month off. It heats from November through April and cools from May through September, and the reversing valve is what switches it between the two. A valve that sticks partway leaves you with cool air blowing in winter or warm air blowing in summer.
Winter nights averaging 35°F keep the unit in defrost more than homeowners expect, switching between heating your home and melting frost off the outdoor coil. Summer afternoons near 88°F push it hard from the other side, and the compressor is what carries that load. Storms add their own risk here. Fulton County has seen 162 damaging wind events and 10 winter storms over the past ten years, and nearly a third of Georgia households lost power for a full day or more in 2024. A heat pump that cuts out mid-cycle does not always come back on the way it should, so if the house will not hold temperature after the power returns, that is worth checking.
- 6 months
- November through April, your system heats
- 5 months
- May through September, it cools
- 35°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 88°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Georgia requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
Georgia licenses HVAC contractors through the State Construction Industry Licensing Board. The license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job. It does not get renewed or re-checked for your repair. The contractor holds it across whatever work they take on.
A heat pump repair means opening the refrigerant side of the system. That work needs its own credential on top of the state license. Whoever opens that side of your unit has to hold EPA Section 608 certification. That is a federal rule, and it applies in every state no matter what Georgia does or does not license. The state license accounts for the contractor. The federal certification accounts for the refrigerant work itself.
Source: Georgia Secretary of State
- Why is my heat pump blowing cold air?
- In winter, this usually means the system is stuck in defrost mode or backup heat isn't kicking in when it should. A heat pump moves warm air from outside, so the air coming out of your vents will always feel cooler than a furnace's, even when it's working right. But if the air feels cold rather than lukewarm, or stays that way for more than a few minutes, the reversing valve may be stuck or the system may be low on refrigerant. A contractor can check the reversing valve and refrigerant charge to find out which it is.
- Why is there ice on my heat pump?
- Some frost on the outdoor unit during winter is normal, and the system should melt it off on its own through periodic defrost cycles. If ice is building up faster than it melts, or covers the coil heavily, airflow is likely blocked, either by a dirty filter, a coil that needs cleaning, or a fan that isn't running. Ice that keeps coming back after defrost cycles usually points to low refrigerant or a failing defrost control board. Left alone, heavy icing can damage the compressor, so it's worth having a contractor look at it before that happens.
- Why is my heat pump running but not cooling?
- The outdoor unit could be blocked, the refrigerant charge could be low, or the compressor itself could be failing. Check first that nothing is piled against the outdoor unit and that the air filter isn't clogged, since both cut off the airflow the system needs to move heat. If the outdoor fan is running but the air from your vents isn't cool, low refrigerant from a leak is a common cause. A contractor can check the charge and pressures to find where the problem is.