Heat Pump Repair in Columbus, OH

Columbus is Ohio's largest city and capital with cold winters and significant snowfall. The city's diverse and rapidly growing residential base creates consistent furnace repair demand across all housing types and ages.

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Heat pumps provide both heating and cooling — when they fail, both functions go offline. Get connected with technicians who diagnose and repair heat pump systems across Columbus and Franklin County, including issues specific to cold-weather operation in Central Ohio.

Columbus sits at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers in Franklin County, and as both the state capital and home to Ohio State University, its housing stock spans nearly every era of the city's growth — dense early-1900s neighborhoods near German Village and the Short North with narrow original duct chases, postwar bungalows and ranches further out, and large new subdivisions on the city's expanding edges. Central Ohio's winters bring sustained stretches of below-freezing overnight temperatures and measurable snowfall most years, though less of the lake-effect intensity found closer to Lake Erie. That combination of an old urban core and rapid outward growth means furnace age and duct design vary enormously within the same zip code, and a system sized correctly for a new subdivision home can be badly mismatched if installed as a like-for-like replacement in an older in-town house with different duct runs.

Common Heat Pump Problems

Common heat pump failures: reversing valve problems that prevent switching between heating and cooling, refrigerant leaks, defrost board failures that cause ice buildup on the outdoor unit in cold weather, compressor issues, and auxiliary heat problems. Heat pumps in Central Ohio work harder in cold weather — defrost cycles and auxiliary heat are important in our climate.

Heat Pump vs. Furnace in Franklin County

Central Ohio's cold winters push heat pumps to their efficiency limits at low outdoor temperatures. Below around 35-40 degrees, heat pump efficiency drops significantly and auxiliary or emergency heat carries the load. If your heat pump is running but not keeping up in cold weather, the auxiliary heat source may be the issue.

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This content is reviewed by the Ohio Furnace Repair editorial team and informed by licensed-contractor sourcing, manufacturer documentation, and established industry standards for furnace repair. Read our editorial standards.

95%

minimum AFUE efficiency required in northern states starting January 1, 2028

Source: HVAC Project Cost, 2026 furnace regulation coverage

~$4,500

estimated 20-year gas savings from upgrading an 80% AFUE furnace to a 95% AFUE model

Source: HVAC Project Cost, 2026 furnace replacement guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my heat pump running but not keeping the house warm?

In cold weather, this is often the auxiliary or emergency heat not engaging when it should, since heat pump efficiency drops significantly below roughly 35-40 degrees outdoor temperature. It can also point to a refrigerant leak or a failing reversing valve. We check the auxiliary heat circuit first since it's the most common cause in Central Ohio's climate.

Why is there ice building up on my outdoor heat pump unit?

Some frost is normal in cold, humid weather, and the unit should periodically run a defrost cycle to clear it. Heavy ice that doesn't clear on its own usually means the defrost board or a related sensor has failed. Running the unit with heavy ice buildup for an extended period can damage the compressor, so it's worth having it checked promptly.

Do heat pumps work in cold Midwest winters?

Yes, but efficiency drops as outdoor temperatures fall, which is why most systems in Central Ohio pair a heat pump with an auxiliary or backup heat source for the coldest days. If your heat pump seems to struggle every winter rather than only on the coldest days, that's usually a sign of a problem rather than normal behavior.

What's the difference between repairing a heat pump and repairing a furnace?

A heat pump is closer to an air conditioner in its components — it has a compressor, refrigerant, and a reversing valve that switches it between heating and cooling. A furnace burns gas and has an entirely different set of parts: igniter, flame sensor, heat exchanger. Diagnosing a heat pump problem requires refrigerant-side knowledge, not just combustion knowledge.

Not Sure If You Have a furnace repair Problem?

Many homeowners aren't sure what they're seeing. We put together a straightforward guide to the warning signs that are worth taking seriously.

See Our Maintenance Guide

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