Winters could be unforgiving. While everyone is preparing and bracing themselves for what is about to come, it is important that you do not forget that one thing that will keep you warm during the day, the heat pump. Although heat pumps are designed to look after you by keeping you warm, you owe it a bit of maintenance and protection as well. In this blog, we are going to discuss how to protect your heat pump from snow damage and do heat pump repair if needed. Let’s begin!
What Should I Protect My Heat Pump From?
If you have an HVAC installed in your home, you know the drill. Replacing the air filter, unblocking the airflow, cleaning the surroundings, and scheduling periodic maintenance is important. However, if you have the outdoor unit installed in the outdoors, you need to protect it from winter and maybe even spring. During winters, there is a high chance of your HVAC being clogged due to snow and ice. Furthermore, the rest of the year, storms and extreme winds can blow dust and debris inside, hence blocking the airflow. This will ultimately take a toll on your machine.
If there is an air blockage, blocking the flow of air between your heat pump and outdoor air, the efficiency of your machine will reduce and in the worst-case scenario, might damage the unit beyond repair. Keeping in mind that heat pumps are neither cheap to repair nor easy to purchase due to their costs. While you make sure that your HVAC unit is protected, keep an eye out for blocked and damaged pipes as well.
Heat Pump Defrost Cycle
Heat pumps come with an in-built defrosting system that can deal with an average amount of ice buildup. As soon as it detects that, there is ice buildup, the defrosting system will turn on, and gradually the heat distribution system will engage as well. The defrosting cycle takes around 15 minutes and you will observe cold air coming from the vents. It is perfectly normal. Wait for 10-15 minutes for the unit to kick in.
How To Maintain Your Heat Pump?
As mentioned previously, your heat pump being covered with an average layer of ice is normal. However, if it is frozen for long hours, then you need to get it checked by a professional before damage is done. Consider the following tips to prevent your heat pump from snow and ice buildup:
- Clean the surrounding of the heat pump. Make sure that there is nothing that could be pulled in when the unit is turned on. Furthermore, while cleaning, make sure that the unit is turned off and do not use sharp objects to remove ice and dirt buildup.
- Create a canopy or get some type of cover made to protect the unit from ice that might fall from the roof.
- While creating a canopy, make sure that you do not stack up things on top of the unit.
- Inspect the pipes and cover them to prevent them from freezing.
What To Do If The Heat Pump Is Not Defrosting?
If you observe that the heat pump is not defrosting, you can check a few things. Begin with the air filter and make sure that it is in good condition. Then, inspect the fins of the condensing fan. It might be that debris and leaves are blocking its regular function. Even then, if air does not come through the vents, it means that probably the blower motor has died. If you can’t diagnose the problem, call in a hat pump technician to inspect the unit.
Final Word
Now that you are aware of how to protect your heat pump from snow damage, you must inspect it regularly and perform maintenance if required. There will come a time when everything is going to be covered with a huge amount of snow and ice and this is exactly what you should be protecting the heat pump from. Keep it maintained so that it does not require expensive maintenance every year. For repair or maintenance, select from HVAC companies Long Beach that that are not seasonable and provide all year round services. There may be a cost difference between heat pump repairers so choose wisely.
