Heat pumps are an important part of many HVAC systems because they use natural heat to warm a house. Unfortunately, these outdoor systems often suffer from severe ice problems. As a result, it is necessary to carefully manage this situation to ensure it never happens again.
Ice Can Form On The System Coils
The system coils of the heat pump typically get a little cold during the winter and even during the summer. Unfortunately, excessive coldness can cause them to freeze up and run improperly. Once ice starts forming on the coil, it often spirals out of control and becomes nearly impossible to defrost with the system's typical warming system. When this happens, it can cause the system to pump cool air or make it struggle to run at all. Even worse, ice can build up on other areas of the heat pump and cause even more problems.
Freezing Can Damage Its Effectiveness
When ice gets stuck on a heat pump, it can cause it to perpetually run its defrosting mode. This mode is designed to break apart ice buildup and keep the system running smoothly. Excessive ice will make it continually run this mode and not the heating mode.
As a result, the effectiveness of the heating pump system will be devastated. Thankfully, it is possible to manage this problem in a way that eliminates frozen areas on the heat pump. Understanding these methods make it easier to know how to help an HVAC specialist when they arrive.
Managing This Situation
The most important step in managing ice on a heat pump is to decide what is causing the problem and deal with it right away. For example, it needs to be examined regularly to ensure that leaves and debris are not blocking up the coil. Blockage like this will cause the unit to malfunction and fail to defrost in cold weather situations.
Next, it is important to check the location of the pump to ensure it doesn't collect water. Positioning it to a more level area may be necessary. Collecting water can can freeze on the pump and cause it to work improperly. In other instances, problems such as unit malfunction caused by faulty electronics may be the problem.
In cases like this, it is important to call a specialist right away. They can identify the problem and treat it to return the heat pump to its proper working order. Failure to do so will cause it to continue to freeze and even break down in the future.
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