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A heat pump running in heating mode puts its hardest miles on the compressor and the reversing valve. Homes in Hancock County, MS run heat about five months a year, from November through March. Both components cycle through every cold day in that window, and a contractor diagnosing a fault here checks them before looking elsewhere. Capacity also drops as outdoor temperatures fall, so a system that was undersized at installation shows that problem most clearly in mid-winter repairs. The reversing valve is the part most homeowners never hear about until it fails.
Ductwork in a house this age was sized and routed for whatever system the original builder chose, and that system is almost certainly gone. What runs in its place has been swapped in over the years, and the refrigerant lines, electrical connections, and coil housings a contractor finds when they open a unit today reflect that layered history. Half the homes in Hancock County, Mississippi were built in 1999 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year). A heat pump sitting in stock like this may be running parts that are no longer stocked by local suppliers, which changes what a repair costs and how long it takes. The diagnosis starts with what is physically inside the cabinet.
The Parts of a Heat Pump a Contractor Checks First
The outdoor unit is the piece most homeowners recognize. It holds the compressor, which is the heart of the system, and the outdoor coil. When a heat pump loses heating or cooling capacity, or runs but produces nothing useful, the compressor and the outdoor coil are where a contractor starts.
Inside the house, the air handler contains the indoor coil and the blower that moves conditioned air. The reversing valve, which is what lets a heat pump heat in winter and cool in summer, sits in the refrigerant circuit and is a common point of failure when the system runs in only one mode. The refrigerant lines connecting the two units are also inspected for leaks.
The drawing shows the general layout of a heat pump system, and a licensed contractor determines what applies to your specific home and equipment.
Find a contractor in Hancock CountyHancock County, Mississippi, by the numbers
52 severe weather events were recorded in Hancock County, Mississippi between 2015 and 2024.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, bulk CSV export, events 2015-01-01 through 2024-12-31.Half the homes in Hancock County, Mississippi were built in 1999 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesHancock County, Mississippi holds 23,715 housing units (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesOwners occupy 79.2% of the occupied homes in Hancock County, Mississippi (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesRules & Standards Governing Heat Pump Repair in Hancock County, Mississippi1 sourced rules and standards
Licensing Rules for HVAC Repair in Hancock County, Mississippi
Mississippi licenses residential HVAC work at every tier and at any price: a subcontractor of any tier doing heating, ventilation or air conditioning work on a residential construction or improvement project must be licensed by the State Board of Contractors no matter the dollar amount.
Severe Weather Events in Hancock County
Weather puts a load on heat pumps that accumulates over time. Repair needs in Hancock County are shaped by what the local climate actually demands from the equipment, which is why the record below belongs on this page.
52 severe weather events, 2015–2024. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database.