A circuit breaker is a safety device whose purpose is to protect your home from the dangers of electrical power surges. Your heat pump in your Jackson, MS, home should never trip your breaker when it’s operating efficiently. However, sometimes a heat pump will trip the circuit breaker. We’ll explain some reasons for this to happen.
Dirty Air Filters
If your heat pump cannot push treated air into your home, it may attempt to do so by consuming more power. Dirty air filters are the most common threat to airflow. Thus, to stop your system from tripping your breaker, you may simply need to change your filters.
Malfunctioning Compressor
The compressor is the part of your heat pump that requires the most electrical power to carry out its work. Its function is to heat and pressurize refrigerant into a condensable form, after which point the refrigerant can go to the condenser coils, condense and complete a heat transfer cycle.
If the compressor has malfunctioned, your heat pump may trip your breaker. Depending on the severity of the problem, the compressor may require either repair or maintenance services.
Old Circuit Breaker
The typical circuit breaker can last for about 30-40 years. Technological advances will make heat pumps more powerful and better able to handle higher amounts of energy. An old breaker may not be strong enough to handle newer heat pumps, cutting off the power to them even when they pose no threat.
As circuit breakers age, their parts will wear down. As a result, even if your heat pump isn’t using much energy, your old breaker may trip because it’s weak. To ensure your safety, replace your breaker after it has been around for more than 40 years.
Your heat pump can’t keep your Jackson, MS, home warm this fall if it is tripping your circuit breaker. To resolve any difficulties, call Modern Air to ask for our heating repair services today.
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