The appearance of frost along the coils of a heat pump almost always indicates a serious problem. People are often confused about seeing icing along the coils, especially during cooling mode. If the heat pump is currently supposed to be sending out cold air, the appearance of some ice would seem to be a positive thing. Likewise, noticing icing along the outdoor coils in heating mode, when it is usually colder outdoors, also seems to make sense.
However, you should never see ice on either coil of your heat pump when it is operating normally. The appearance of frost along a coil indicates that the coil is losing its ability to absorb heat during the evaporation (which happens along the indoor coil during cooling mode, and the outdoor coil during heating mode). This will cause the heat pump’s efficiency to drop, and eventually it will no longer be able to provide heating or cooling. You’ll need to call for heat pump repair in Chapel Hill, NC when you notice this problem. Contact Ideal Services Heating & Cooling any time of the day or night for the service that will restore your heat pump.
Can’t I Just Fix This Myself by Scraping Off The Ice?
No, you can’t. The ice is not the root of the problem, but a symptom. The continual growth of the frost across the coils will make the trouble worse because it will further block heat absorption, but if you scrape the ice away it will come back. (Also, trying to scrape off the ice risks puncturing or otherwise damaging the coil, creating a further repair.)
The actual problem here is either a dirty coil or a loss of refrigerant due to a leak. You can’t fix either of these on your own. To clean the dirty coil, it must be removed from the unit (without losing refrigerant) first. Refrigerant leaks are even more difficult. A technician must locate the leak, seal it, and then restore the refrigerant’s charge using the proper chemical blend.
In other words, the best way to fix a frost build-up along your heat pump is to call a professional to fix it. The longer you wait, the worse the trouble will become.
Call The Heat Pump Experts
Ideal Services Heating & Cooling can rush one of our trained technicians to your home to find out how to eliminate the icing-over of your heat pump’s coil. We also recommend you schedule regular maintenance for your heat pump so potential problems like dirty coils and leaking refrigerant can be more easily avoided. When you need your heat pump repaired and require the services of a dependable heating service in Chapel Hill, NC, call Ideal Services Heating & Cooling.
