Is Your Heat Pump Icing Up? Here’s What to Do

Schedule Now

The greater Cincinnati area is in the middle of a harsh winter, showing no signs of letting up. For homeowners with heat pumps, a major concern can be of the heat pump icing up. While a certain amount of ice or frost on your coil is normal, it can spell disaster when the entire unit ices over.

Defrost Cycle

All heat pumps, regardless of the age, have a defrost cycle built in to them. The older units have a mechanical timer that triggers the cycle, while newer units are controlled by a solid state control module and temperature sensors. Either way, the system itself works the same. The entire system is reversed as the air conditioning is turned on, which causes the refrigerant to heat up. After a certain amount of time or after reaching the desired temperature, the system will shut off and resume normal function.

A Cause for Concern

If your heat pump defrost cycle doesn’t kick on periodically, it’s likely not defrosting the ice. And, if your heat pump ices up too far, it won’t work. There are many causes for the defrost cycle to not work, and most of them have to do with the internal parts of the heat pump itself. You should call an HVAC professional to help if you suspect this.

Some Maintenance You Can Do

There is, however, a few different things you can do to keeping it from icing over. If there’s a gutter that’s allowing water to run onto the unit, get it fixed before it causes any damage. In freezing rain or other icy weather, turn the unit off and break the ice away from the unit. Just ensure that you don’t use any sharp tools to prevent damage to the coil. And lastly, you should check the coil for debris and remove if necessary.

If you have any questions or concerns about your heat pump icing up, or any other home comfort concerns, please contact Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.

Image via Shutterstock.com

Schedule
Call
"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
    Read Reviews
    Image

    Financing

    Learn More
    Image

    Apollo Care Plan

    Learn More