Why Does My Heat Pump System Sometimes Freeze Up?

Troubleshooting or problem-solving your heat pump can sometimes reveal a popsicle pump.

Troubleshooting time! So your heat pump is an ice cube. Great. If you’re the contemplative type, you may be scratching your chin wondering, “Why does my heat pump system freeze up in the first place?”

Let’s look at a few reasons why this might have happened:

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• Your Defrosting Mechanism Is Malfunctioning

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If your sensors are bad or there is some other issue with your defrosting control, then your heat pump won’t know when to initiate the defrost mode.

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• It Rained Recently

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Rain (or the overflow from a leaky gutter) can lead to excess ice buildup on the heat pump, leading to restricted airflow.

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• There’s an Airflow Obstruction

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Aside from rain, other airflow obstructions (such as grass, leaves, furniture, and blocked ducts) can lead to restricted airflow, which usually causes ice buildup.

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• Improper Drainage

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If your heat pump isn’t draining properly, then water could accumulate and eventually freeze over.

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• Insufficient Refrigerant Levels

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Sufficient refrigerant levels keep your heat pump running smoothly, but if you’re running your pump with insufficient refrigerant, then you might want to keep an ice pick handy.

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• Sticky Reversing Valve

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A common problem with heat pumps is the reversing valve gets stuck, which prevents your pump from properly changing between heating and cooling modes.

ow that you know what may be causing the problem, next time you find out your heat pump is an ice block, you’ll know why.

Here at Brummitt Heating & Cooling, we know how to keep your heat pump from freezing up, keeping you warm all winter long. If your heat pump resembles a popsicle, contact us today. When you get in touch with our team of pros, we’ll get someone out there who is great at troubleshooting any heat pump problem.