In addition to the ongoing Brightspeed internet issues, our heat pump ceased functioning on Saturday. I attempted to operate it in all available modes on the thermostat, but it remained unresponsive. Even when I selected “fan on,” the unit’s fan wouldn’t operate.
This situation was more inconvenient than a crisis, as we have a fireplace with an insert and several space heaters for backup. We don’t often use the fireplace, as the insert fan can be pretty noisy, so it primarily serves as an alternative if our primary heating source, the heat pump, fails or if we lose power.
Fortunately, ample, well-seasoned firewood is stored just a few steps from our back door.
Given that the heat pump is just under four years old, we were surprised by its malfunction.
On Sunday afternoon, I called our usual heating and air conditioning company and left a message regarding the heat pump, emphasizing that it was not an emergency. I merely wanted to be placed on their service list, especially with Christmas approaching in the middle of the week.
Since none of the thermostat’s functions were operational, I suspected an issue with it. I’ve replaced our thermostat a couple of times before, but this time, I thought additional factors might be at play.
The HVAC technicians arrived on Monday morning and discovered a blown fuse. They traced one issue to an exposed wire connecting the heat pump and the thermostat. After replacing most of that wiring, they concluded that the thermostat had been damaged and needed replacement.
Although I was correct that the thermostat was a problem, the underlying cause was beyond my capacity to diagnose and fix.
