Tips to Keep Your Heat Pump Working on Snow Days
With temperatures dropping, the potential for snow and ice accumulation on heat pumps is great! Therefore, it’s time for a few tips to take if you heat your home with a heat pump. Simply by taking these measures during a snowfall you’ll protect your heat pump from damage and keep it working properly.
What you need to know about your heat pump:
- Clear away the snow from all sides of your heat pump. Clearing the snow 2-3 feet around your heat pump is necessary because the heat pump heating system is designed to draw air from all sides of the outside unit. Having all sides clear of snow allows the air to freely reach the heat pump. As a result, this will alleviate strain on the system and your heat pump will operate efficiently.
- If you are unable to keep the heat pump cleared of snow you may be better off to go to the thermostat and turn on the emergency heat—which will lock out the heat pump and operate the inside air handler as an electric furnace.
- Have your heat pump serviced by a qualified heat pump service contractor . In other words, preventive maintenance on your heat pump system will give you the peace of mind it will be ready to handle the extreme cold temperatures.
So when you reach for the shovel to clear the walkway of snow, be sure to clear a path to the heat pump. Use a brush or broom to clear snow off of your heat pump and shovel around the sides. If you notice accumulation of snow or ice build up on the outside fan blade, it’s best to throw the heat pump into emergency heat mode at the thermostat.
My heat pump stopped working?
If your heat pump stops working, go to the thermostat and place it in “emergency heat.” By doing so, it will turn off the heat pump and switch to the electric mode. This emergency heat mode is another benefit of owning a heat pump.
Need help with your heat pump? Find a HVAC contractor like M.E. Flow who specializes in servicing heat pumps. M.E. Flow has 3 Service Locations to help you: Leesburg, Alexandria and Winchester.