Heat Pump Problems During Winter Months

With winter in full swing, it’s time to think about how to keep your heat pump running smoothly. Winter can be a tough time for the system and make it difficult to keep you warm and comfortable at home. The cold and the snow can wreak havoc on your system. So, your heat pump seems to be struggling during the winter months. What’s going on? Why is it having so much trouble now, when it seemed to work just fine during the summer? It might sound counter-intuitive, but this is all because of something that happens as a result of cold temperatures: Ice.

Common Heat Pump Problems During Cold Weather

Covered in Ice

In cold weather, it’s common for the coils of a heat pump to become covered in ice. This usually happens because the liquid refrigerant flowing through the system is freezing as it flows over the coils. This may sound counter-intuitive, but this is actually a natural occurrence that can be explained with a little science: When air cools down, it becomes more difficult for molecules to move around – including those that make up liquid refrigerants. When liquid refrigerants start to freeze, they expel heat energy and become lighter – just like regular water does when it freezes into ice cubes. The resulting pressure drop across the now-frozen liquid refrigerant causes the remaining fluid (and all of its heat) to evaporate quickly. Since the heat pump is supposed to pull just enough heat from the outside air and transfer that into your home, it also pulls this heat away from the now-light refrigerant. Sometimes this causes a significant drop in pressure – low enough that the coils of your heat pump start to freeze over.  

Non-functioning

When this happens, the heat pump can’t work properly. The refrigerant can’t transfer heat any more. So it’s frozen on the coil and the system stops working all together.  If this is the case you may want to look into heat pump repair services to help assist.  

Draining Problems

One of the main problems with the heat pump is that sometimes, if it starts to freeze during winter, it can cause the system to shut down entirely. When this happens, the system will not function at all. This means that the liquid refrigerant is no longer flowing through the coils of your heat pump and there’s nothing moving any more. If this isn’t treated quickly, the result can be an expensive repair bill for your heat pump. A few ways to avoid this are making sure any drainage plugs are removed when not in use, using a gas heater or electric heater as a backup when using your heat pump in the winter, and keeping all vents throughout your home clear of furniture or other obstructions.

Blocked Coils

Some other things to look out for in cold weather are blocked coils. Blocked coils can happen in the winter when the heat pump’s refrigerant starts to freeze. The result is a frozen coil that can’t function properly, which will cause your system to shut down. One way for this to happen is if you have a vent on your home – especially one facing an area where it might be colder outside – and there’s some kind of obstruction over it. Or maybe even a bird’s nest or plants that have started growing up into it. Any obstruction can really interfere with the airflow of your heat pump, causing the ice build-up during winter months.  If this is the case you may want to look into getting a new heat pump installed if in fact it is damaged.

Weather Elements

Heat pumps work best in hot weather when the outside air is warm. If the temperature outside is too low, however, your heat pump will not be able to work properly. This is because the coils on your heat pump are made of metal and they need help to stay warm enough for them to transfer heat to or from an area. When the outside temperature dips below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes difficult for the refrigerant in a normal heat pump to flow through the copper coils. The refrigerant starts freezing within the tubes that make up the coils of your heat pump system, and this reduces its ability to transfer heat. The result of this is that cold air comes into your home and then cold air goes back out into the environment. This can be a huge waste of energy – as much as 30 to 50 percent of your total heating and cooling costs! – and it can also damage your heat pump over time.

Time for Replacement

Depending on how old your heat pump is, it may need to be replaced every 10-12 years or so. Heat pumps can make you feel comfortable during the cold winter months, but the intense winter cold can lead to ice build-up and blockages. There are several things you can do to help reduce the risk of this happening like keeping vents clear, using a backup heating system, and having your HVAC technician perform heat pump maintenance.   Winter can be a tough time for your heat pump. The cold and the snow can wreak havoc on your system and make it difficult to keep you warm and comfortable at home. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help reduce the risk of this happening like keeping vents clear, using a backup heating system, and having your heat pump checked by an HVAC technician. If all these steps seem overwhelming or if you want expert assistance with your heat pump issues contact us today!