Quick answer
Heat pump repair covers the same problems as AC repair, such as capacitors, contactors, motors and refrigerant leaks, plus heat pump specific parts: the reversing valve that switches between cooling and heating, the defrost control, and outdoor temperature sensors. In Miami most heat pump calls are cooling problems, with a spike during winter cold snaps.
Written by Sylvia Denton, HVAC Guides Editor. Updated 2026-09-22.
For most of the year a Miami heat pump is doing air conditioning, and it fails the same way an AC fails: weak capacitors, worn contactors, dirty coils, clogged drains and refrigerant leaks. We carry those parts on every van.
What makes heat pumps different is the reversing valve, a four-way valve that switches the direction refrigerant flows so the system can heat. If it sticks, the system can blow warm air in summer or cool air when you asked for heat. The defrost board and outdoor sensors also matter on cold nights, managing the outdoor coil so it does not ice up.
Many heat pump calls in January are not really heat pump failures. The system has simply not run in heating mode for a year, and the thermostat settings, emergency heat, or backup heat strips need attention. We sort that out quickly.
