Heat pump repair in Salt Lake City
One outdoor unit heats and cools your home, which is why a single failure takes out both. We repair heat pumps days, evenings and weekends — and fix what we can that night.
How a heat pump works — and why it’s efficient
A heat pump looks and acts like an air conditioner in summer. The difference is a reversing valve: in winter it runs backward, pulling heat out of the outdoor air (even cold air holds heat) and moving it inside. Because it moves heat instead of burning fuel, it’s one of the most efficient ways to heat a home.
Cold-climate heat pumps use inverter compressors that keep producing heat well into cold weather — a real option in Utah. Many homes pair one with a gas furnace in a dual-fuel setup: the heat pump handles the milder months efficiently, and once it gets cold out — the furnace is typically set to take over around 35°F — the gas side carries the rest of winter. Want the full breakdown? See our HVAC systems guide.
Where Canyon Comfort fits in. We repair heat pumps on days, evenings and weekends, the same as we do A/C and furnaces. We come out, test the unit, show you the readings, and fix what we can that visit — reversing valve solenoids, defrost boards and sensors, capacitors, contactors and control faults are all common same-night repairs. We do not sell or install new systems. When a system truly needs replacing, you get the diagnosis explained plainly — why a new system is the right call — and, if you want it, a recommendation for a trusted local installation company.
Got an HVAC question?
Ask it on the online quote page: a real answer, a second opinion, or a firm quote, whichever you need.
What goes wrong with a heat pump
A heat pump runs in both seasons, so it puts on roughly twice the hours of a system that only cools. These four failures account for most heat pump service calls.
Won’t heat or won’t cool
When a heat pump cools normally but blows cool air on heat, or the other way around, the cause is usually the reversing valve, the solenoid that shifts it, or a control or sensor telling it the wrong thing. Those are very different repairs at very different prices, so the valve and the controls have to be tested rather than guessed at over the phone.
Iced-up outdoor unit / defrost problems
A light coat of frost on the outdoor coil in winter is normal, and the defrost cycle is supposed to clear it. A unit encased in ice is not normal. The usual causes are the defrost board, the defrost sensor, or a low refrigerant charge, and each one leaves a different signature in the readings.
Low refrigerant & leaks
Weak heating and weak cooling at the same time almost always points to a low refrigerant charge, and a low charge means a leak. Refrigerant is not consumed the way fuel is, so a system that is short of it has lost it somewhere. Anyone who offers to top it off without finding the leak is selling you a few months, which is worth knowing before you agree to the work.
Compressor, capacitor & electrical faults
Capacitor microfarads, compressor amp draw, contactor condition and control-board voltage are all measurable numbers, and together they usually separate an inexpensive part from a system that has reached the end of its life. We take those readings and tell you which one you are looking at.
Everything found on the visit goes into a written diagnosis — the readings, the model and serial numbers, and exactly what failed. That report is yours to keep — and it is what lets us return parts-in-hand to finish the repair instead of running a second diagnostic.
Shopping for a new heat pump?
Whoever you buy from, these are the details that make a heat pump perform and last.
Right-sized to your home
A heat pump should be sized to your home’s actual heating and cooling needs — not guessed or copied from the old unit.
Dual-fuel changeover set up correctly
If you’re pairing it with a gas furnace, the changeover point matters — set too high and you lose the heat pump’s efficiency; set too low and the furnace isn’t backing it up when you need it. Ask what temperature they’re setting it to and why.
Surge protection & a float switch
Surge protection guards the control board and compressor from electrical surges, and a condensate float switch on the indoor coil keeps a clogged drain from overflowing into your furnace or air handler.
Commissioned to spec, documented, permitted
Airflow, charge, and the temperature split should be verified in both heating and cooling, confirmed against the manufacturer’s spec, and handed to you in writing — and the job should be permitted and done to code.
Canyon Comfort does not sell or install equipment, so there is nothing here for us to talk you into. What we can do is diagnose the system you have, walk you through exactly why a new system wins, and deliver a portable A/C if it is summer and the house is getting hot — you are free to use anyone, and we can recommend an install company we trust. If a new system is already in and you want an independent set of eyes on it, we offer a post-install inspection for $150, plus a free online second opinion on any quote you are holding.
Questions to ask about warranty coverage
A verbal promise isn’t a warranty. Before you sign anything, get clear answers on: how many years of manufacturer parts coverage and whether it requires registration, how many years of labor coverage the installer themselves provides, and whether diagnostic visits during that window are free or billed. Get it in writing, not just a sales pitch.
What a heat pump diagnosis costs
The visit is $80 weekdays 7am–6pm, with $40 added weeknights until 10pm and all weekend. That is the whole price and you hear it before we come out. See full pricing & service hours →
$80
weekdays 7am–6pm, with $40 added weeknights until 10pm and all weekend. We can usually be there the same evening.
What you keep: the written diagnosis with the readings and your model and serial numbers — and we come back ready to finish the repair.
Heat pump diagnostics across the valley
We cover the Wasatch Front and the Wasatch Back — Ogden down to Provo, and Grantsville across to Coalville and Heber — days, evenings and weekends.
Heat pump questions
Does Canyon Comfort repair heat pumps?
Yes. Heat pump repair is part of our regular service, alongside emergency A/C and furnace repair. We come out, test the unit, show you the readings, and fix what we can that visit — reversing valve solenoids, defrost boards and sensors, capacitors, contactors and control faults are common same-night repairs. Service is $80 weekdays 7am-6pm, with $40 added weeknights until 10pm and all weekend, credited toward the repair. We do not sell or install new systems.
Is there heat pump help near me in Salt Lake City?
Yes, anywhere from Ogden down to Provo and from Grantsville across to Coalville and Heber. Canyon Comfort covers the Wasatch Front and the Wasatch Back, days, evenings and weekends, so most calls become a visit the same day. Call or text 801-960-5925.
How much does a heat pump diagnosis cost in Salt Lake City?
A $80 weekdays 7am to 6pm, with $40 added weeknights until 10pm and all weekend. It covers testing the system and a written diagnosis with the readings, which you keep.
My heat pump cools but won’t heat — what’s wrong?
The most common causes are a failed reversing valve, the solenoid that shifts it, a defrost control fault, or a low refrigerant charge. Those are four different repairs at four different prices, which is why the readings matter more than a guess over the phone.
Do heat pumps work in cold Utah winters?
Yes. Cold-climate inverter heat pumps keep producing heat well into cold weather. Many Utah homes use a dual-fuel setup in which a gas furnace takes over once it gets cold outside, with the changeover typically set around 35°F, so the heat pump handles the mild months efficiently and gas heat carries the deep cold. See our full heat pump vs. A/C comparison →
My heat pump quit and it is freezing outside. How fast can you get heat back?
We come out that evening or weekend, determine exactly what failed, order the part immediately, and come back to finish the repair as quickly as possible.
What if the heat pump quits in the summer?
We rent portable air conditioning: $150 to deliver, set up and take down, plus $20 a day, and $10 a day for a third unit. Two high-efficiency portable units cover roughly 900 square feet together, plus a portable swamp cooler. See temporary cooling →
Is a heat pump cheaper to run than a furnace?
Often, in mild weather, because a heat pump moves heat instead of burning fuel. Where natural gas is inexpensive and winters are cold, which describes Utah on both counts, a dual-fuel pairing usually delivers the lowest overall running cost.
No heat, or no cool? Let’s find out why tonight.
A $80 diagnostic gets you a tested answer and the readings in writing, days, evenings and weekends. We can usually be at your home that same evening, anywhere from Ogden to Provo and out to Heber.
Portable A/C rental while you wait on a repair
Usually same-day: two high-efficiency portable units and a portable swamp cooler, $150 plus $20 a day.
What customers say
Reviews shown as they appear on Google Maps. See every Google review →