Heat pumps
The one system that never gets an off season
A heat pump cools the house and heats it, so there is no quiet half of the year for it. ACE repairs and installs them out of Cypress, and services them twice a year, in spring and in fall.
Chapter 01
What does a failing heat pump look like?
Cold air from the vents while the thermostat is set to heat. A unit that will not switch between modes. Ice on the outdoor coil that will not clear. A system running constantly without ever catching up. Auxiliary heat engaging far more than it should.
Those are the five complaints ACE lists for heat pump repair, and the diagnosis starts with testing the unit rather than swapping parts to see what helps.
Heat pump outdoor unit on a concrete pad beside a brick wall with an insulated line set
Reversing valve and defrost board first
ACE's heat pump diagnostics start with the reversing valve, the part that changes the unit between cooling and heating, and the defrost board, which handles ice on the outdoor coil. The cause is named and the price given before the repair begins, and ACE holds Texas licence TACLB 135382E.
When the unit is past repair, ACE installs Trane heat pumps and the Armstrong Air line: the 4SHP17LE, a quiet single-stage unit, and the variable-capacity 4SHP18LX and 4SHP22LX. Call (281) 256-3433 and ask for Josh Bockel, the service manager, if you want to talk through a replacement.
Chapter 03
Why a heat pump is serviced twice a year
A heat pump never gets an off season in Cypress, so ACE services it twice a year, spring and fall.
Both operating modes are verified at the visit, not only whichever one the season happens to call for. Skip a visit and the mode you are not using goes unchecked until the day you need it.
Comfort Club plans start at $12.95 a month, with priority service on all calls and up to 20% off repairs, and the plan page lists what each tier covers.
ACE: heat pump repair, bi-annual maintenance and installation for Cypress and greater Houston. Call (281) 256-3433.
Rebates and credits to ask about
ACE points heat pump customers to two outside programmes. Neither belongs to ACE, so confirm eligibility with CenterPoint and the federal programme before you rely on either one.
CenterPoint
Home Efficiency Rebates
A CenterPoint programme that ACE points customers to for two-stage and variable-speed heat pumps, and for replacing a system more than 15 years old.
Federal government
Energy-efficiency tax credit
A federal credit of 30% of the cost, up to $2,000 a year, for heat pumps. It is the government's programme, not an ACE discount.
A system that only cools is covered on the air conditioning page, and one that only heats on the furnace page. For the twice-a-year visits on a schedule, see the Comfort Club.