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24/7 Heat Pump Repair in Northern Virginia & Maryland
AVS Heating and Air Conditioning repairs heat pumps across Northern Virginia and Maryland, day or night. Each heat pump repair begins with a $90 site visit and a written price you sign off on. Most completed heat pump repairs cost 250–600 and take about three hours, and nights, weekends and holidays cost no more.
When your heat pump stops heating in January or stops cooling in July, a NATE-certified AVS technician diagnoses both the indoor and outdoor units, explains what failed and fixes it, often the same day you call.
Call Virginia: 703-457-9028 · Maryland: 301-686-7129.
Request service online and we call you back fast. If you have no cooling or no heat, call us directly.
Emergency & Same-Day Heat Pump Repair
Emergency heat pump repair, 365 days a year. A heat pump that quits during a cold snap or a heatwave can’t wait for business hours. Our phones are answered 24/7, and the $90 visit costs the same at noon or midnight.
Call right away if there’s no heat in freezing weather, the outdoor unit is buried in ice, or the thermostat keeps switching to emergency heat. We confirm same-day availability in your area when you call.
Can it wait? If the house is holding temperature and nothing smells or sounds wrong, a next-day visit is usually fine. If you’re cold, don’t wait.
Heat Pump Problems We Fix
Heat pumps fail in ways furnaces and air conditioners don’t, because one machine does both jobs. These are the heat pump repair calls we answer most across Fairfax County, Montgomery County and the rest of the region:
- Heat pump blowing cold air in heat mode: the system runs but the vents never warm up. Usually a reversing valve, refrigerant or control fault, not a dead compressor.
- Heat pump iced up and not defrosting: light frost that clears on its own is normal; thick ice that stays for hours points to the defrost board, defrost sensor, airflow or refrigerant charge.
- Stuck on aux heat: backup heat running in mild weather means the heat pump isn’t carrying the load, and your electric bill will show it.
- Won’t switch between heat and cool: the thermostat changes modes but the system doesn’t, a classic reversing valve problem.
- Short-cycling: the outdoor unit starts and stops every few minutes, wearing out expensive parts fast.
- Loud outdoor unit: new grinding, squealing or buzzing usually traces to a fan motor, capacitor or loose hardware.
- Won’t turn on at all: often a tripped breaker, a failed contactor or capacitor, or a thermostat fault.
Safe Checks Before You Call
You shouldn’t open up a heat pump yourself, but these quick checks sometimes solve the problem:
Thermostat mode: make sure it’s set to Heat or Cool for the season, not Off or Emergency Heat.
Air filter: a dirty, packed filter starves the indoor coil of air and can lead to icing. Swap it if it looks gray.
Defrost cycle: in winter the outdoor unit briefly reverses to melt frost, with steam and a pause in heating. Carrier notes a typical defrost cycle lasts about 5–10 minutes, then normal heating resumes.
Breaker: if the outdoor unit is silent, switch its breaker fully off and back on once. If it trips again, stop and call.
Clearance: sweep snow, leaves or mulch away from the outdoor unit with a broom, never a tool.
Stop there. Capacitors, the disconnect box and refrigerant lines carry high voltage and pressure even when the unit looks off. Leave them to a licensed technician.
How Our Heat Pump Repair Works
- Call or book online: tell our dispatcher what the system is doing and what the thermostat shows, plus the brand and model if you have them.
- Diagnose both units: the technician tests the outdoor unit, the indoor air handler, the refrigerant charge, the controls and the backup heat.
- Written price first: you hear the cause in plain language and get the price on paper before we touch a part.
- Repair and test: we make the repair, then run the system through heating, defrost and backup heat to confirm it works.
Heat Pump Repairs We Handle
Depending on what the diagnosis finds, your heat pump repair may involve:
Reversing valve: switches the system between heating and cooling. When it sticks, you get one mode only.
Defrost control board and sensor: decide when to melt frost and when to stop, a common cause of ice that won’t clear.
Capacitor: starts and runs the motors. A weak one is a common, inexpensive reason a heat pump won’t start.
Contactor: the electrical switch that powers the outdoor unit.
Outdoor fan motor: moves air across the coil; when it fails, ice and high pressure follow.
Refrigerant leak: we find and fix the leak, then recharge to factory specification instead of just topping it off.
Compressor: repaired when it makes sense, with an honest recommendation when replacement is the better value.
Aux heat strips: tested to make sure the backup heat fires only when it should.
Our technicians repair ducted, ductless mini-split, variable-speed and dual-fuel heat pumps from Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Bryant, Goodman, Amana, Rheem, York, American Standard, Ameristar and Mitsubishi.
Heat Pump Repair Cost
Most homeowners pay 250–600 for a completed heat pump repair, according to our heat pump repair cost guide. The $90 site visit covers the diagnosis, and you approve the written price before anything is fixed.
What changes the price: which part failed, whether the system is a standard ducted unit or a variable-speed model with equipment-specific parts, how hard the part is to reach and, for leaks, how much refrigerant is lost. Warranty coverage can lower what you pay.
Current offer: heat pump repair starts at $89 with an average repair time of about three hours. Every job still begins with the $90 visit and a written price. See all heat pump repair offers.
Repair or Replace Your Heat Pump?
Most heat pump problems are worth repairing. Once a system passes the typical 10–15 year lifespan and major repairs keep coming, replacement often makes more financial sense.
The $5,000 rule of thumb: multiply the system’s age by the repair price. Well over $5,000 usually favors replacement; well under favors repair.
Older refrigerant: production of R-22 refrigerant ended in 2020 (Goodman), so a major leak on an older R-22 heat pump often tips the decision toward a new system.
When the numbers are close, your technician lays out the repair price next to a free written replacement estimate. Compare with our heat pump replacement cost guide or see new heat pump installation, with 0% APR for up to 18 months on select units through Wells Fargo, subject to lender approval.
Why AVS for Heat Pump Repair
Family-owned since 1991: a local team with offices in Fairfax, Falls Church and Bethesda, and an owner, Anil Sareen, who has appeared on ABC7 News.
NATE-certified technicians, licensed in both states: Virginia HVAC 2705039269A, Maryland HVAC 520714137895 and Maryland Home Improvement 4192876.
Both units diagnosed: no guessing at parts; you hear what failed before any work starts.
Same price around the clock: 24/7 heat pump repair with no overtime fees, backed by a 4.8★ rating from 354 Google reviews.
Commercial Heat Pump Repair
Businesses call AVS too. We repair heat pumps, rooftop units and other heating and cooling equipment for offices, shops and commercial properties throughout Northern Virginia and Maryland.
Heat Pump Repair Offers & Ways to Pay
Get a safety inspection from AVS Service Company today for only $69.
CLAIM THE $69 INSPECTIONWays to pay
Major credit cards, Zelle, Cash App, Venmo, or Wells Fargo financing.
Wells Fargo financing
Zero-down payment plans, including 0% APR for up to 18 months on select units, subject to lender approval.
VIP Maintenance Plan
Two maintenance and safety inspections a year, priority service and discounts on repairs. Join the VIP plan →
All current AVS offers
Offers as listed on avsheatingandair.com/hvac-coupons. Mention the offer when you call.
What Customers Say About AVS Heat Pump Repair
“AVS is the best in the area. Highly skilled and qualified staff. Senior Technical Anil Diagnosed the heat pump issue in seconds. Fixed the problem in very reasonable price.I will highly recommend AVS.”
“AVS diagnosed and fixed my non-heating electric heat pump *same day that I called* on a cold February Sunday, and they were pleasant to work with and good communicators. Aneal walked me through how he was diagnosing it at my request, was thorough in his checks, and replaced the fried electrical component (contacter) within an hour or so, getting my heat back on before a 25 degree night! The component replaced was cheap in my case, so the majority of the cost was the labor and expertise, but the peace of mind of hiring and expert who checked more parts than I could and who had the replacement part on hand in their van was certainly worth it. Thanks AVS and Aneal!”
Heat Pump Repair Near You in Northern Virginia & Maryland
With offices in Fairfax, Falls Church and Bethesda, AVS technicians work across the region every day. Choose your city:
Heat Pump Repair FAQs
Should I turn my heat pump off before the technician arrives?
Turn it off if it is making grinding or burning smells, short-cycling or tripping the breaker. Otherwise you can leave it running so the technician can see the problem happen.
Is it safe to run emergency heat until my heat pump is repaired?
Yes, emergency heat is designed for this and keeps the house warm while the heat pump is down. It uses much more electricity, so treat it as a short-term fix.
Why does my heat pump run all the time?
Long run times on the coldest days are normal for a heat pump. Constant running in mild weather usually points to low refrigerant, dirty coils, a sizing problem or a failing part.
Can a heat pump be repaired in freezing weather?
Yes. Most parts, such as capacitors, contactors, motors and defrost controls, can be replaced in any weather, though some refrigerant work goes more smoothly on milder days.
Can you repair an older heat pump that uses Freon?
Yes, older units can still be repaired. Because that refrigerant is no longer produced, a large leak on an older system often makes replacement the better value.
Why is water dripping from my heat pump in winter?
Water around the outdoor unit in winter is usually melted frost from a normal defrost cycle. Water pooling indoors near the air handler suggests a clogged condensate drain that needs service.
Need Heat Pump Repair? Call AVS Now
A family-owned team since 1991, a $90 site visit, the price before work starts, and no extra charge for evenings, weekends or holidays.
Virginia HVAC 2705039269A · Maryland HVAC 520714137895 · Maryland Home Improvement 4192876
