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Few things are as frustrating as reaching for the remote on a cold morning or a hot afternoon and finding the heat pump simply will not start. Before you assume the worst, take heart: a heat pump that will not turn on very often has a simple, fixable cause, and a quick run through the basics resolves it more often than not. Here is how to work out why your heat pump is not turning on, what you can sort yourself, and when it is time to call a technician.
A heat pump that will not turn on is most often down to something simple: dead remote batteries, the unit not getting power because of a tripped breaker or switched-off isolator, the wrong mode or settings, or a safety timer delay after it was switched off. Start by replacing the remote batteries, checking the power supply and breaker, and confirming the settings. If it still will not start after those checks, it needs a technician.
Here is how to get your heat pump going again.
The most common reason a heat pump will not respond is the simplest: the remote. Before anything else, replace the batteries in the remote, since weak or dead batteries are a surprisingly frequent culprit and an easy thing to overlook. Check that the remote is actually set to on, in the mode you want, heat or cool, and at a temperature that would make the unit run, for example set well above room temperature in heat mode. Make sure you are pointing it at the unit with nothing blocking the signal, and look for any display on the remote at all, since a completely blank screen points straight to the batteries. A huge share of no-start calls come down to the remote, so always rule it out first.
If the remote is fine and the unit still will not start, the next question is whether it is getting power at all. Check whether a circuit breaker has tripped in your switchboard and reset it if so, since a tripped breaker cuts the power completely. Many heat pumps also have an isolator switch, a dedicated power switch usually mounted on the wall near the outdoor unit, so make sure it has not been switched off, which commonly happens after cleaning, maintenance or garden work. If the breaker keeps tripping after you reset it, do not keep resetting it repeatedly, as that points to an electrical fault that needs a professional. Confirming the unit actually has power resolves many no-start situations.
Sometimes the heat pump is working perfectly and is simply doing what it was told. Check that a timer or schedule has not been set that is keeping it off, since a previously programmed timer or sleep setting can stop it running when you expect it to start. Also be aware that heat pumps have a built-in safety delay, so after being switched off they often wait a few minutes before restarting to protect the compressor, which means a unit that will not start the instant you turn it back on may simply need a short wait. Give it a few minutes, and double-check no schedule is overriding your command, before concluding anything is wrong.
A couple of other simple things can stop a unit starting or seeming to. A very dirty, clogged filter will not usually prevent start-up entirely, but keeping filters clean rules it out as a factor and is good practice anyway, as our maintenance guide covers. If the unit shows an error code or a flashing light rather than nothing at all, that is the unit telling you something specific, and noting the pattern helps a technician diagnose it. And if the heat pump turns on but then does not heat or cool, that is a different problem, better covered by our guide to a heat pump not heating, rather than a true no-start.
If you have replaced the batteries, confirmed the power and breaker, checked the isolator, ruled out timers and given it a few minutes, and the heat pump still will not turn on, the cause is likely beyond a home fix and it is time to call a professional. A breaker that keeps tripping, a unit that is completely unresponsive despite having power, or a persistent error code all point to an electrical or component fault that needs a technician to diagnose safely. A professional service can find the fault and get the unit running again, and keeping the heat pump well maintained helps prevent faults and keeps its running costs down over its life.
A heat pump that will not turn on is alarming, but the fix is usually simple, fresh batteries, a reset breaker, an isolator switched back on, or just a few minutes’ patience. Work through the basics first, and most no-start problems solve themselves. When they do not, it is a sign to bring in a professional.
Varcoe has kept Auckland heat pumps running since 1975. If yours will not turn on and the simple checks have not worked, get in touch, call us on 0800 088 888, or email info@varcoe.co.nz, and we will get it going again.
Most often a simple cause: dead remote batteries, no power from a tripped breaker or a switched-off isolator, the wrong mode or settings, or a built-in safety delay after being switched off. Start with the remote batteries, the power supply and the settings before assuming a fault.
Replace the batteries first, since weak batteries are a common cause, and check the remote shows a display. Confirm it is set to on, in the right mode, at a temperature that would make the unit run, and that you are pointing it at the unit with nothing blocking the signal.
Check whether a circuit breaker has tripped in your switchboard and reset it, and make sure the isolator switch near the outdoor unit has not been switched off, which often happens after maintenance or garden work. If the breaker keeps tripping after resetting, that points to an electrical fault needing a professional.
Heat pumps have a built-in safety delay that makes them wait a few minutes before restarting, to protect the compressor. So a unit that will not start the instant you switch it back on may simply need a short wait rather than having a fault.
Yes. A previously set timer, schedule or sleep setting can keep the unit off when you expect it to run. Check that no timer or schedule is overriding your command, as this is an easy and common thing to overlook.
When you have checked the remote batteries, the power and breaker, the isolator, and any timers, waited a few minutes, and it still will not start. A breaker that keeps tripping, a completely unresponsive unit with power, or a persistent error code need a technician.
If the simple checks have not worked, we will find the fault and get it going again, serving Auckland since 1975.
