Heat Pump: How to Defrost It During Winter

(847) 722-0000

Schedule Service

December 15, 2021

When the cold winter weather hits, it pays to have an energy-efficient heating system. One of the best options for those who live in mild environments is a heat pump. Instead of burning fuel to create heat, these systems simply transfer heat from the air or ground outside into your home.

Heat Pump: How to Defrost It During Winter

Why Does My Heat Pump Freeze Up?

To understand why your heat pump freezes up, you first need to know how it runs. Your heat pump utilizes a substance known as refrigerant. This substance moves the heat from the air or ground outside into your home via the condenser coils. To do this, the refrigerant needs to be around 20 degrees colder than the air outside of your home.

When the air outside starts to dip down around 20 to 40 degrees, it can cause the moisture on the exterior components of your heat pump to freeze. Increases in relative humidity also play a role in how quickly your heat pump freezes up.

The Defrost Cycle

All heat pumps are designed to have a defrost cycle. Whenever your system senses that it's starting to freeze up, it will switch to the defrost cycle. During this cycle, the heat transferred from outside is essentially retransferred to the condenser coils in your outside unit.

This works to melt the ice that has formed over the condenser coils. This process typically takes around 30 minutes. During this time, you'll notice steam coming from your outdoor compressor unit. That's completely normal as the ice has melted off.

Tips For Defrosting Your Heat Pump

Every now and then, your heat pump may not switch over to the defrost cycle. Or, it may experience another malfunction that causes unwanted ice buildup on your exterior HVAC unit. You can manually defrost your unit in just a few simple steps.

To get started, you'll want to turn off your heat pump at the circuit breaker. Next, use your garden house to spray the heat pump with water to melt the ice. Avoid attempting to chip or hammer the ice away, as you could cause damage to the unit. Once the ice has melted, turn your heat pump back on at the circuit breaker.

If there is still some ice present on your unit, you'll want to turn your unit to 'Fan' mode. Let it run in this mode until all the ice melts away. It's always a good idea to assess why your system froze over in the first place. One common culprit that many homeowners find is an ineffective gutter that spills excess water onto the exterior heat pump unit. Fixing the faulty gutter can prevent this problem from happening again.

Contact Us Today

If you're still experiencing problems with your heat pump, it's best to call in our HVAC professional at Master Mechanical. They can assist in determining the root cause of why your heat pump keeps freezing up and why your defrost cycle isn't working.

See all articles

Proof We’re the Best HVAC Company Straight From Our Customers

Mini-Split Installation That Exceeded Expectations

Gwen Anderson

Jake is amazing! We reached out to get a quote for a mini-split system to cool our server room, and Jake exceeded our expectations. He recommended a more cost-effective solution that has provided us with incredible results. His out-of-the-box thinking and thoughtfulness are so impressive. I had six other HVAC companies provide quotes, but Jake was the only one who made sustainable and well-considered suggestions. The office staff is also super friendly and helpful!
Came Right on Time for Our

Dominique Haffery

We just had Master Mechanical service our AC units before it gets too hot! This way we know they are operating efficiently! I used to be scared to pay money for these things but it truly saves money in the long run! Master Mechanical was able to come out quickly, give me a shorter window then most companies do in this trade, came right on time, communicated the whole way! They are professional and experts at their craft! Highly recommend!!!
A Great Company for Complicated HVAC Problems

Eric Williams

Jake did an excellent job helping me solve a complex problem that no one else could help with - I needed a new thermostat installed for a unique 120V water chiller AC system, and all other HVAC companies refused to work on it. Jake was on time, friendly, informative, and had it done in less than an hour. Highly recommended!
Saved $1000 With a Second Opinion on AC Repair

Kris

I’m glad I called Master Mechanical for a second opinion. They saved me $1000 over the quote for the same repair from another HVAC company. They were professional on time and fixed my unit same day. They also weren’t pushing upsales. They did let me know my options, but unlike the other company, Master Mechanical didn’t try using scare tactics to get me to buy additional services. Master Mechanical will be my first choice going forward and I’ve already recommended their services to family members as well.
Repaired My Boiler Instead of Pushing an Unnecessary Replacement

Kathleen Ferraro

I am so grateful to Master Mechanical for repairing my old boiler. Danny Chee is very knowledgeable and was able to figure out the problems and repair them. Plus he is a very nice, polite person. He made sure everything was working correctly before leaving, even after 5:00. The people on the phone, Paul and a woman whose name I can't recall, are professional and helpful. I received texts and emails confirming appointments and letting me know when Danny was on his way. They could have sold me a new boiler but instead fixed the old one at a fraction of the cost. I highly recommend them and will continue to rely on them in the future.

‹ ›

See All Reviews Write a Review