The complexity of most heating and cooling systems hinders homeowners from prioritizing as well as maximizing their units. However, these are integral to ensuring the comfort of your home. That’s why familiarizing yourself with the systems’ components is critical.
Your heat pump, for example, is an essential element in your system. Its job is to use refrigerant to take thermal energy from the outdoors to provide heat indoors. During the warmer months, it uses this same process to remove heat from your home and transfer it outside to cool your space.
As most people are accustomed to oil furnaces, it can be confusing to learn that there’s a system that needs to be defrosted while heating your home. Given that a heat pump’s defrost cycle is related to your pump’s operation, your trusted air conditioning service provider talks you through its basics in detail in this post.
Getting to Know Heat Pumps
As the name implies, a heat pump can function as both a heating and an air conditioning unit. As mentioned earlier, it uses electricity to draw energy from the environment when in heating mode. It takes the heat present in the outdoor air and sends warm air into your home. Other heat pumps function by drawing heat from the ground rather than removing it from the air.
The heat pump also functions as an air conditioner. It has a cooling function that draws cold air from the ground and sends it into the house. You can streamline your home heating and cooling systems by replacing the furnace and air conditioner with a single heat pump system.
How Defrosting Happens & Why It’s Necessary
HVAC repair experts explain that heat energy is taken from the colder outside air when the heat pump is switched to the heating circuit. Under the right conditions, frost can form on the outdoor coils and quickly accumulate at specific temperatures and humidity levels.
The heat pump activates the defrost cycle to remove ice from the outdoor coil and prevent further frost buildup. When the heat pump enters defrost mode, the operation is temporarily reversed, and a “cooling cycle” is performed. This causes warm air to pass through the outdoor coil and temporarily heat up, melting the frost. This will continue until the outer ring reaches 57 degrees.
Any air conditioning service provider will tell you that the heat pump works by taking advantage of the heat exchange characteristics of the refrigerant to take heat from the outside air and transfer it into your home during the winter. In the summer, it does the opposite to ensure efficient cooling.
When heat energy is removed from a particular area, the temperature instantly drops. If the heat pump’s outdoor coil has sufficient moisture and frost has accumulated, removing the heat can cause the coil to freeze and frost. Frost makes it difficult to extract heat from the air. Secondly, the heat pump needs to melt the ice to be able to function correctly.
While heat pumps are easy to maintain during heavy snow or ice, it’s still wise to inspect them occasionally. Clear snow out from underneath it and from the top, sides and area surrounding the unit to allow for proper drainage when the unit is defrosting. To avoid untimely HVAC repairs, remember that there can be a variety of causes if your heat pump isn’t defrosting correctly, such as:
- Fan that won’t turn on
- Damaged reversing valve
- Debris accumulation on and around the outdoor coils
- Fan motor running at low RPM
- Faulty thermostat and wiring
- Engine operating in the wrong direction
- Refrigerant leaks
How Often Will a Unit Switch to the Defrost Cycle?
Several factors influence when a heat pump switches over to the defrost cycle—the outdoor temperature and humidity, the heat load your system can deliver and the pump system’s condition. Generally, heat pumps will regularly defrost when frost conditions occur. However, defrosting frequency should be no more than roughly every 35 minutes. Although the length of time the heat pump defrosts will vary, ordinarily it shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes.
Ways to Maximize Your Heat Pump
It’s inevitable to have to call for “air conditioning repair near me” during emergencies. Still, the best thing a homeowner can do is prevent their heat pump from having issues. Here are some simple things you can consider to make this possible:
- Insulate your home. It’s best to follow homeowners that do their best to keep the cold outside by air sealing and utilizing air-tight windows and doors. Ensuring these barriers against the cold are substantial is one of the best ways to make the most of any heating system.
- Trust ‘defrost mode.’ Defrosting frozen system components is part of every homeowner’s regular winter operation. As a reminder, though, keep in mind that this cycle is typically short, and if your system stays in this mode for a long time, it may require heating repair services.
- Clean and replace your air filters. This may be a simple task, but it’s guaranteed to make a significant difference. Keep in mind that the filters in a ductless system are much smaller than those in a traditional unit, which means they get dirty more quickly. It’s advisable to have your ductless heat pump’s air filters cleaned before the colder months arrive.
- Schedule regular maintenance and inspections. If you neglect your dirty filters, dirt, dust and other debris will accumulate. This is when your system’s efficiency will fall. If the heat pump has to compensate, additional wear will occur, increasing the likelihood of repairs being necessary and energy costs rising. Fortunately, regular maintenance will ensure that your heat pump remains in peak working condition. Your heat pump manual will guide you on how to optimally set up your system to meet your needs and recommended maintenance schedule.
Have you been searching for “air conditioning repair near me” online? If so, keep Albert Air Inc. in mind. We offer a wide range of HVAC products, including top-quality Wi-Fi thermostats. After all, controlling your heating and cooling system is integral to ensuring comfort and energy efficiency in homes and businesses, and we’re here to deliver. Give us a call at (714) 526-6368 or fill out our contact form to request a free estimate.
