Heat pump repair help is one call away, 24/7. The call routes to a licensed local contractor in your area. Minor repairs typically run $100–$500; major work runs higher, with a $75–$200 diagnostic fee usually credited toward the repair.
A heat pump runs both seasons, so it takes service calls year-round — reversing valve and defrost included.
Refrigerant work is done by EPA-608 licensed technicians — leaks sealed, not just topped off.
You approve the price before any part is replaced — no surprises on the bill.
One call routes to a licensed local contractor. Tell them it's the heat pump and what it's doing.
The tech checks the reversing valve, defrost board, refrigerant charge, backup heat, and controls.
You approve the price before any part is replaced — the diagnostic fee is usually credited into the repair.
The part is replaced, the system is run in both modes, and you settle with the contractor.
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Minor heat-pump repairs typically run $100–$500; the big-ticket parts — a reversing valve or compressor — run higher. The diagnostic fee is usually credited toward the repair.
A heat pump works in both seasons, so it takes repair calls all year. The reversing valve and defrost faults are the ones no other system has, alongside the refrigerant and compressor issues it shares with an AC.
The part that makes a heat pump a heat pump. Stuck, it heats when you set cool or cools when you set heat. The signature heat-pump repair — a licensed-tech job.
Winter's culprit. A bad board won't run the defrost cycle, so the outdoor coil ices solid — or it over-defrosts and blows cold air indoors.
When it's very cold and the backup heat strips have failed, the home never warms up — or the electric bill spikes as failing strips run non-stop.
A thin frost in winter is normal; a solid block of ice is a defrost failure or low refrigerant. The unit has to thaw before a tech can read it.
Weak heating and weak cooling at once, because the same loop does both jobs. Low means a leak — sealing it is the real fix, not topping off.
Year-round duty wears heat-pump compressors faster than an AC. When it fails on an older unit, the repair usually forces the replace decision.
Shared with air conditioners: a failed capacitor or a pitted contactor stops the outdoor unit from starting in either mode. A cheap, common fix.
Heat pumps use an extra wire and an emergency-heat mode. A miswired or failed thermostat can lock the system into backup heat and a giant bill.
Two parts of a heat pump have no equivalent in an AC-only system, and they cause the faults that confuse homeowners most: the reversing valve that flips heating to cooling, and the defrost cycle that clears winter frost.
This valve flips the refrigerant flow so one machine both heats and cools. When it sticks, the heat pump runs in the wrong mode — heat when you asked for cool, or the reverse. It's the fault that defines heat-pump repair, and it needs a licensed technician.
Normal: in cold weather the unit periodically melts frost off the outdoor coil — expect steam and 5–15 minutes of cool indoor air. Fault: the coil stays iced over, or it blows cold far too long. That's a defrost board or sensor, not the weather.
The full walkthrough — including why a heat pump steams — is on how a heat pump works.
Before booking a visit, rule out the four faults you can fix yourself: the thermostat stuck on emergency heat, a tripped breaker at either disconnect, a clogged filter, or an iced or blocked outdoor unit.
Confirm it's on HEAT, not EMERGENCY HEAT — emergency heat locks out the heat pump and runs the expensive backup strips.
A heat pump has an indoor and an outdoor disconnect. Reset both once and confirm neither has tripped.
A clogged filter starves the system in both modes. Replace it if it's gray.
Clear snow, leaves, and ice from the outdoor coil. If it's iced solid, let it thaw fully before judging it.
Still wrong after that? A stuck reversing valve, failed defrost board, low refrigerant, or a bad compressor all need a licensed technician. That's when to call. The full walkthrough is on how a heat pump works.
Minor repairs run $100–$500; the big-ticket parts run higher, with after-hours calls at 1.5–2× the standard rate. The part that failed is what moves the bill — from a cheap capacitor to a reversing valve or compressor.
A capacitor, contactor, or defrost sensor sits at the low end; a reversing valve, refrigerant leak, or compressor sits at the top. Because a heat pump runs year-round, wear accumulates faster than on an AC — which is why the repair-vs-replace math matters sooner. Broader HVAC cost ranges are on the HVAC repair cost page.
| Repair | Lower end | Higher end |
|---|---|---|
| Capacitor or contactor | $150 | $400 |
| Frozen coil (diagnosis + thaw) | $150 | $600 |
| Defrost board or sensor | $200 | $600 |
| Auxiliary heat strips | $200 | $600 |
| Reversing valve | $600 | $1,300 |
| Compressor | $1,300 | $2,800 |
Broader HVAC cost ranges are on HVAC repair cost, and the diagnostic fee is explained on service-call cost.
Heat pumps last about 10–20 years — shorter than a furnace because they run in both seasons. Under 10 years, repair; past 15, or when a major part fails, replacement is usually the better math, and rebates can shift it further.
The heat pump is under about 10 years old, the fault is a single part — a capacitor, contactor, defrost board, or sensor — and the fix comes in under a third of the price of a new system.
The unit is 15-plus years old, or a major part like the reversing valve or compressor has failed. At that point a repair rarely pays off, and a new system may qualify for state or utility rebates.
The same call gets you a replacement quote when the numbers say so.
Because a new heat pump may qualify for state, utility, or manufacturer rebates, the replace side of the ledger is often better than it looks on a straight repair-cost comparison. The full framework is on repair or replace.
In mild-winter regions a heat pump is often the home's primary heat, so a failure in a cold snap is an emergency. We route after-hours heat-pump calls to local contractors offering same-day and emergency service.
The difference between a fair repair and an expensive one hides in this checklist. A licensed technician does all six of the following; a parts-swapper reaches for the compressor before checking the valve and the strips.
Weighing a fix against a new system? Run the numbers on repair or replace, or price a new unit on heat pump installation.
Calls route to licensed local contractors across the United States. Enter a ZIP in the coverage check above and we'll confirm the nearest routed pro; if your exact area isn't matched, the call still connects nationwide.
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Minor heat-pump repairs typically run $100–$500; major work such as a reversing valve or compressor can reach several thousand. The service-call (diagnostic) fee is usually $75–$200 and is often credited toward the repair. Because a heat pump runs year-round, it tends to need service more often than an AC-only system.
Briefly, it's normal: heat pumps run a defrost cycle every so often that can produce steam and a few minutes of cool air. If it blows cold for long stretches, the defrost board, reversing valve, or backup heat has likely failed and it's a service call.
A reversing valve typically runs $600–$1,300 installed. On a unit over 12–15 years old, that cost often pushes the decision toward replacing the system rather than repairing it.
Heat pumps last about 10–20 years — shorter than a furnace because they work in both seasons. Under 10 years, repair. Past 15, or when a major part like the compressor fails, replacement is usually the better math, and available rebates can shift it further.
Below its balance point — the outdoor temperature where it can no longer keep up alone — a heat pump runs longer and leans on backup heat. Constant running in mild weather, though, points to low refrigerant or a failing part.
Yes. Routed contractors service every major heat-pump brand — air-source and, where offered, ductless and geothermal systems. The brand changes which parts a repair needs, not who answers your call.