Last winter I got a call at 11pm from a family in Riccarton. Their heat pump just stopped blowing warm air and with two young kids in the house they were pretty worried. When I got there the whole unit was making this weird clicking sound but nothing was happening. Turned out the compressor had given up.
Thats the thing about heat pumps in Christchurch - they work hard all year round and sometimes they just quit on you. And its always at the worst time like right before a cold snap or during one of those freezing foggy mornings we get in places like Sydenham and Addington.
Why Heat Pumps Break Down (And What You Can Do About It)
Most people dont realize heat pumps need regular checkups. I see this all the time in older homes around Fendalton and Merivale where folks installed their units 10 or 15 years ago and never had them serviced. Then they wonder why the thing stops working in July.
The filters get clogged with dust and the coils get dirty. In winter the outdoor unit can ice up real bad specially on those frosty mornings. Sometimes the fan motor burns out or the thermostat goes haywire. And if you got a Mitsubishi or Fujitsu unit thats getting on in years the circuit boards can fail too.
Common Problems We Fix Every Week
Heat pump not turning on - This ones usually the thermostat or a tripped breaker. Sometimes its the capacitor which is a cheap fix. One time I went to a house in Cashmere and the problem was just that someone bumped the thermostat setting by accident.
No warm air coming out - Could be low refrigerant which means theres a leak somewhere. Or the reversing valve is stuck. I fixed one in Spreydon last month where the outdoor fan wasnt spinning so the whole system couldnt work properly.
Weird noises - Clicking grinding or squealing sounds mean somethings wrong with the fan motor or compressor. Dont ignore these noises cause they usually get worse and more expensive to fix if you wait.
Ice buildup on outdoor unit - A little frost is normal but if the whole things frozen solid thats a problem. Usually means the defrost cycle isnt working right or you got a refrigerant issue.
Unit keeps shutting off - This is annoying and usually means the systems overheating or theres an electrical problem. Could be dirty filters or a failing compressor too.
What Happens When We Come Fix Your Heat Pump
When you call us we try to get to you same day if its urgent. We service all areas from Hornby to New Brighton and everywhere in between. First thing we do is check the obvious stuff - filters thermostat settings breaker box. You'd be surprised how many times its something simple.
Then we test the electrical components and check refrigerant levels. We look at the outdoor unit to see if theres any damage or ice buildup. Most repairs take an hour or two but sometimes we need to order parts which can take a day or two depending on whats available.
The good news is most heat pump problems are fixable without replacing the whole unit. Unless your systems really old like 15+ years and the compressors gone then yeah you might want to think about a new one.
Brands We Work On
We fix all the main brands you see around Christchurch. Mitsubishi Electric and Daikin are probably the most common. Panasonic Fujitsu and Hitachi too. Some of the cheaper brands from The Warehouse or Bunnings can be trickier cause parts are harder to find but we usually figure it out.
I personally think Mitsubishi units last the longest but thats just from what Ive seen over the years. Daikin makes good units too. The main thing is getting them serviced regularly no matter what brand you got.
How Much Does Heat Pump Repair Cost
People always ask this and honestly it depends. Simple fixes like cleaning filters or replacing a capacitor might be $150-250. Bigger jobs like fixing a refrigerant leak or replacing a compressor can be $500-1500. If the compressors completely dead and your units old you might be looking at $2000+ and at that point a new heat pump might make more sense.
We always give you a quote before we do the work so theres no surprises. And we're pretty straight up - if we think your units not worth fixing we'll tell you.
Can You Fix It Yourself
Some things you can do yourself like cleaning the filters and making sure nothings blocking the outdoor unit. You can clear away leaves and debris from around it too. But most heat pump repairs need special tools and you gotta be careful with the refrigerant cause its under pressure and you need a license to handle it.
I had a guy in Papanui try to fix his own heat pump and ended up making it worse. Cost him more in the end cause we had to fix his mistakes plus the original problem. So unless you really know what you're doing its better to call someone.
Preventing Heat Pump Problems
The best repair is the one you dont need right. Here's what you can do to keep your heat pump running good:
Clean or replace filters every month or two. This is the biggest one. Dirty filters make your heat pump work way harder than it needs to.
Keep the outdoor unit clear. Cut back any plants or bushes around it and make sure snow doesnt pile up on it in winter.
Get it serviced once a year. We can check everything clean the coils test the refrigerant levels and catch small problems before they turn into big ones. Most people do this in autumn before winter hits.
Dont run it 24/7 at full blast. Give it breaks and dont set the temperature too high or too low. Your power bill will thank you too.
Emergency Heat Pump Repairs
We do emergency callouts cause we know how bad it sucks when your heat pumps not working in the middle of winter. Had a lady in Shirley call us on a Saturday night last year cause her heat pump died and she had her elderly mum staying with her. We got her sorted same night.
Emergency calls cost a bit more but sometimes you just need heat right away specially if you got kids or elderly people in the house. We try to be fair with pricing even for after hours work.
Should You Repair or Replace Your Heat Pump
This is a tough one. If your units under 10 years old and the repairs not crazy expensive then yeah fix it. But if its 15 years old and needs major work like a new compressor you might want to think about replacing it.
New heat pumps are way more efficient than old ones so you'll save on power. And they got better features like wifi control and better air filtering. Plus you get a warranty on a new unit.
We can help you figure out what makes sense for your situation. Sometimes fixing is fine and sometimes its just throwing good money after bad.
Why Choose WeDo Electrical for Heat Pump Repairs
We've been fixing heat pumps around Christchurch for years. We know the local conditions - the cold winters the salty air near the coast in New Brighton and Sumner the dust and wind out west in Burnside and Ilam.
We're licensed and insured and we show up when we say we will. No mucking around. We explain whats wrong in plain English not technical jargon. And we dont try to sell you stuff you dont need.
Our vans got most common parts so we can often fix things same visit. And if we need to order something we'll let you know how long it'll take.