De-Icing an Olive Branch Heat Pump

Heat pumps n ice-up during th winter time. And it i nrml fr th ntir coil t b covered in a
white frost, vn light ice, during rtin weather conditions. ut it i nt nrml fr th ntir unit t
b encased in ice! including th top f th unit nd th insides f th coil fr n e"tended period f
time. #hi indit a problem nd huld b addressed $uic%l& t save energ& nd avoid riu
damage t th e$uipment.
Heat pumps will naturall& ice-up in th winter but will periodicall& g int a defrost c&cle t de-ice th
coils suggests Heating 'epair (live ranch )*. #hi %+ th unit running efficientl&. ,f th coils r
bloc%ed b- ice, proper heat transfer btwn th refrigerant nd th utid air nnt occur.
Hw d th defrost cycle wor!
(n a call fr defrost, th reversing valve i energi.ed, switching th s&stem int th air conditioning
mode. #ht i right - Air /onditioning. #h outdoor evaporator bm th condenser but t th m
tim th outdoor fan shuts off. #hi llw th high pressure refrigerant circulating thrugh th outdoor
coil t gt vr- warm, melting th ice.
At th same, th nd stage heat 0the bac%-up heat1 i energi.ed t offset r temper th cold air nw
blowing ut th vents. 2hn a sensor r thermostat in th outdoor unit reaches a rtin temperature
and3or a rtin amount f tim g b&, th s&stem g bac% t nrml heating mode. At thi tim a
cloud f water vapor n uull- b n rising ut f th outdoor unit nd a 4whoosh4 sound n b
heard th refrigerant reverses direction. #h ntir process uull- ta%es btwn 5 t 67 minutes
depending n conditions.
8iffrnt heat pumps hv diffrnt w- f determining whn t g int defrost. *m 0older models1
u mechanical timers in con9unction with a defrost thermostat. ,f th thermostat i cold nugh nd
nugh tim g b&, th unit will g int th defrost mode, whthr it: iced-up r not. 2hn th
thermostat heats u+ t a rtin temperature, defrost i terminated. H+full- t thi time, muh f th
frost h melted off.
)t f th newer e$uipment toda& u solid-state control modules with temperature sensors. ;vn
mr sophisticated i th 8emand 8efrost s&stem whih ma%es calculations based n th utid air,
th refrigerant temperature in th coil, nd run time. #hi i th mt efficient w- t defrost.
,f a heat pump i severel& iced-up during winter use, it: +ibl tht it: nt defrosting, but thr r
mn- thr causes. lw i a list f +ibl causes. ,tems in rd uull- re$uire a service call. #h
bottom fur u in blu r commonl& found problems nd n b addressed, vn fi"ed b- th
homeowner.
A fw mr things t nidr<
,f th top f th unit i covered in ice, turn it ff nd remove th ice.
,f a gutter i dripping n th unit, repair th gutter.
=+ snow nd leaves w- frm unit including underneath it.
,f th unit h settled int th ground, it mut b elevated - uull- n bloc%s r +il feet. 0*hould
b dn b- a technician1
2ith th unit off, i n b removed with a garden hose. ,f th unit ices-up again, it i tim t
schedule a service call.
,mportant< 2htvr -u do, please, nvr pic% th i ff with a sharp ob9ect. #h refrigerant coils nd
fins n b damaged vr- easil&.
'eference< acrepairmemphistn.com3heating-repair-olive-branch-ms3