Winter and summer are the two most stressful seasons for ductless systems. Those are the times when the system is used on a near-daily basis to keep the home at a comfortable temperature. Under that kind of stress, wear and tear increases and the chances of a problem developing go up significantly. If you’re using a ductless system to keep your home warm this winter, you should keep an eye out for signs that it needs repairs. Let’s take a look at some of those signs now.
Failure to Heat
Perhaps the most obvious sign that your ductless system is in need of repairs is if it simply fails to provide any heat while in heating mode. This could be caused by a couple of different things. The reversing valve may be broken, in which case your system will be unable to switch the refrigerant flow between heating and cooling modes.
The other possibility is that you have a refrigerant leak, which has drained the system of the fluid it needs to siphon and transport thermal energy. If you notice liquid of any kind dripping from your ductless system, you may have a refrigerant leak. Either way, this is a serious warning sign. Call for repairs right away.
Ice
The outside part of your ductless system is the part responsible for siphoning thermal energy from the surrounding air, and sending it inside to heat the home. As a side effect of the process, ice can form and buildup on the coil of the unit. Normally, a defrost cycle works to keep the ice from building up too high. If the cycle malfunctions, however, the ice could completely cover the unit and cause a breakdown. If you see the outer unit more than 50% covered in ice, you should have a professional examine it just in case.
Sunset Air provides full ductless repair services throughout Olympia, WA.
