Trusted Heating & Heat Pump Service in Pinellas Park, FL

Do you repair heat pumps and home heating systems?

Yes. Most Pinellas Park homes heat with either a heat pump or an air handler with electric heat strips, and we repair both, on all major brands. Common heating repair calls include:

• A heat pump that blows cool air in heat mode.
• The outdoor unit iced over and not defrosting.
• "Emergency heat" or "aux heat" running constantly.
• Heat strips that don't come on, or a breaker that trips when they do.
• A burning smell that doesn't fade.
• The system not switching between heating and cooling.

A heat pump is essentially an air conditioner that can run in reverse, so it shares most of its parts with your AC: compressor, capacitor, contactor, coils and refrigerant. It also has a reversing valve and defrost controls, which are common failure points.

Why does my heat smell like burning on the first cold morning?

A light burning or dusty smell for the first few minutes is usually normal. Heat strips that sat idle for months collect dust, and it burns off when they first heat up. In Pinellas Park, that can happen just a handful of times a year, so the smell surprises people.

Call us if:

• The smell lasts more than 15 to 30 minutes.
• It smells like burning plastic or electrical insulation.
• You see smoke, or the breaker trips.

In those cases, turn the system off at the thermostat and the breaker and call our 24/7 line.

What happens on a heat pump service call?

1. We ask what's happening: cool air, no air, noises, ice, smells or tripped breakers.
2. Electrical checks: capacitor, contactor, wiring and heat strip elements and sequencers.
3. Refrigerant and reversing valve: pressures and temperatures in heating mode, and whether the valve switches properly.
4. Defrost check: sensors, defrost board and how the unit handles frost.
5. Thermostat setup: many heat pump problems come from a thermostat wired or set up for a conventional AC, especially the O/B reversing valve setting.
6. Price before work: we explain what failed and what it costs before we repair it. Our diagnostic fee is $125, credited toward the repair if you go ahead.

Should I get my heat pump checked before winter?

Yes, if it's convenient. Because the heating side may sit unused for months, problems with the reversing valve, defrost board or heat strips often go unnoticed until the first cold front. Adding a heating check to your autumn tune-up means we run the system in heat mode, test the strips and confirm the thermostat is switching modes correctly, before you need it.

Should I choose a heat pump or an AC with strip heat?

For most Pinellas Park homes replacing an old system, a heat pump makes sense:

A heat pump still has heat strips as backup, so you keep the safety net on the rare frosty morning. Ask us to price both options for your home.

What Duke Energy rebate can I get for a heat pump?

Duke Energy Florida (effective May 7, 2025; page read October 2026):

Conditions include a free Home Energy Check within 24 months before installation (within 12 months after for emergency replacements), a licensed and insured contractor, and replacing the outdoor unit and air handler together. As a Duke Energy approved contractor, we help make sure everything qualifies. Federal minimums for new heat pumps in Florida are 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2 (DOE).

Is a heat pump worth it with Pinellas Park's mild winters?

Usually, yes, mostly because of cooling. NOAA's Tampa normals show around 433 heating degree days a year, against about 3,928 cooling degree days. Your system cools roughly nine times as much as it heats.

That means a heat pump earns its keep in summer just like an AC. On top of that, you get more efficient heating on the cool nights we do get, plus Duke's larger rebate when you switch from strip heat. The extra cost of a heat pump over a comparable AC varies by model, so we'll quote both for your home.

How do I know my heat pump needs service?

• It's blowing lukewarm or cool air in heat mode.
• The outdoor unit is coated in ice for more than an hour or two.
• "Aux" or "emergency heat" shows on the thermostat most of the time.
• Your Duke bill jumps during a cold spell.
• You hear grinding, squealing or loud clunks when it switches modes.
• It short cycles or runs constantly.
• It's more than 10 to 15 years old and needs frequent repairs.

Is ice on a heat pump normal? Light frost in cold, damp weather is normal; the unit should defrost itself periodically, often with a burst of steam. Thick ice that stays is not. Turn the unit off and call us.

What should I set my heat pump to in winter?

Set it to HEAT, not EMERGENCY HEAT, and choose a comfortable temperature, typically 68–70°F. Avoid big setbacks; raising the temperature several degrees at once can trigger the expensive heat strips. Small, steady changes keep the heat pump doing most of the work.

What is emergency heat? It's a setting that turns off the heat pump and runs only the electric strips. It's meant for when the heat pump has failed. Running it all the time works, but it uses a lot more electricity. If you've had to switch to emergency heat, call us to fix the heat pump.

A smart thermostat set up for heat pumps can manage this automatically.

See also: AC replacement, ductless mini splits and tune-ups.

Heat not working? Call (727) 761-8873, answered 24/7.