Central and ductless heat pumps
Joe's Mechanical offers all types of Heat Pump services. Here is a list of some of the services we offer our Terre Haute, IN customers. We are locally owned and operated and have served the Terre Haute, IN and surrounding community for 25 years. When you have a Heat Pump problem you know to say I WANT JOE, you know that Joe's Mechanical is there to help you!
On cold, damp days frost builds up on the outdoor coil. To clear it, the heat pump switches into cooling mode for a few minutes: the outdoor fan stops and the air from your vents can feel cool until the cycle ends. That is normal. Cold air that keeps blowing for more than about 15 minutes, an outdoor unit that won't run, or a system that won't stay in heat mode points to a failed reversing valve, low refrigerant or a control problem.
A light coat of frost that comes and goes is normal in winter. Thick ice over the coil or the top of the unit that never clears means the defrost cycle isn't working, often from a failed defrost control, low refrigerant or a gutter dripping onto the unit. Don't chip the ice off, since that bends the coil fins. Clear snow from around the base, switch the thermostat to emergency heat and call us.
Auxiliary heat is backup heat that comes on by itself when the heat pump needs help. Emergency heat is the setting you choose by hand: it shuts the outdoor unit off and heats with backup heat alone. Use it only while the outdoor unit is iced over or broken, because backup heat costs more to run. If auxiliary heat comes on often in mild weather, the heat pump needs service.
Joe's Mechanical offers 24 hours a day 7 days a week emergency service. If your Heat Pump is out give us a call. Our bonded, licensed and insured service techs have the training and the knowledge to work on any type of Whole House Heat Pump unit.
In an Indiana winter a heat pump runs almost nonstop, and the cold weeks are when defrost, ice and backup heat problems show up. We are here to help you solve your heat pump problems, whatever the brand.
We will be there no matter the time of day or the day of the week. Our 24/7 team is waiting to help you fix your heat pump problem. We have been part of your local community for 25 years and know how to make sure we fix your problem the first time.
We proudly carry Armstrong Heat Pumps but we are equipped to tackle any Heat Pump repair or maintenance. We have been serving the Wabash Valley for 25 years and understand what our customers need to make their home or business comfortable during the winter months.
Usually a few minutes, and rarely more than about 15. In cold, damp weather frost builds up on the outdoor coil, so the heat pump briefly reverses to melt it. You may see steam rising from the unit while it runs. If defrost happens constantly or the coil stays iced over, the heat pump needs service.
A light layer of frost on the outdoor unit is normal in winter, and the defrost cycle clears it on its own. Thick ice that covers the coil or stays for hours is not normal. Common causes are a failed defrost control, low refrigerant, a fan that isn't running or blocked airflow. Don't chip at the ice; call for service.
Nothing will break. Emergency heat shuts off the heat pump and runs the backup heat, usually electric heat strips, so the house stays warm but your electric bill climbs. Switch the thermostat back to HEAT. If the system won't heat normally after that, or keeps switching to backup heat on its own, have the heat pump checked.
Yes. A heat pump keeps heating below 20 degrees, but it produces less heat as the temperature drops, so most systems lean on backup heat during the coldest days. Cold-climate models do better: the Mitsubishi Hyper-Heating ductless heat pumps we install keep heating efficiently even with outdoor temperatures well below 0°F.
It depends on your utility rates and the weather. In mild weather a heat pump usually costs less to run, because it moves heat instead of burning fuel to make it. In the coldest weather a gas furnace often costs less. Joe's Mechanical installs Armstrong Air heat pumps and gas furnaces and can help you compare them for your home.
©Red Barn Media Group 2026
