Heat Pumps Require Extra Patience

If the efficiency of your heat pump isn't what it ought to be, your contractor may want to test the system to make sure there is the proper amount of refrigerant charging your unit. Your contractor may have to add or subtract some refrigerant from your unit in order to make it work right.

A contractor will also want to test for proper air flow. A heat pump that is covered up during cold winter days will not work correctly. It should be left uncovered.
If your house has trouble with humidity levels, bacteria, or mold, your contractor will check the condensate drain of your unit to see whether it's clogged.

Proper maintenance of your equipment requires inspecting, cleaning, and changing its filter. Some filters are inside the unit; others are in the ducts.
Of course some of the more obvious things might be a blown fuse, tripped circuit breaker, or thermostat set to the wrong temperature.

If you are used to a furnace, you should have patience with a heat pump, which does not put out heat as quickly. Heat pumps that are not installed correctly often do not work well in freezing temperatures when drainage freezes on the coils. A supplementary indoor unit is necessary to keep your home warm on such days, and should have been installed along with the outdoor unit.

The coils on the outdoor condensing unit also must be kept clean and free of debris such as leaves and paper. Meanwhile, other types of clutter may block vents indoors, such as clothing or toys.

In some cases the unit's blower won't be working properly, which is a situation requiring the assistance of a technician, unless you see that the thermostat's been turned to Fan instead of Auto, causing continuous blowing.

Otherwise, a technician may have to adjust the Limit Switch on your unit to the proper lower and upper temperature range for automatic blower shut-off.
Bad noises coming from the heat pump may indicate the need to replace its bearings. Of course a licensed technician will be needed for that job as well.