PSA: The 2023 NATE report said 40% of heat pump service calls are for airflow, not refrigerant

I was reading the latest NATE technician report from last year and that number really got me. It means a huge chunk of what we think are refrigerant issues are actually dirty filters, blocked coils, or bad blowers. I've started checking static pressure first on every no-cool call now. How many of you have seen this shift in your own work?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_susan24d ago

Wow, my buddy just saved a customer a ton by finding a clogged filter first.

williamm8224d ago

Wait, they almost did the whole job without checking the filter first? That's basic stuff. I'm shocked any pro would skip that step. A clogged filter can make a system work triple time for no reason. Your buddy didn't just save them money, he saved their whole unit from an early grave. That's just doing the job right.

paul28624d ago

My old neighbor had a unit die after just six years. The repair guy said the blower motor burned out from strain, and the filter looked like it hadn't been changed since install. That's a four thousand dollar mistake over a twenty dollar part. It makes you wonder how many "bad compressors" are really just a total lack of basic maintenance.