Frozen Heat Pump? Get Expert Advice

A frozen heat pump can leave you wondering what to do in order to maintain your comfort in your Kansas City area home. While in winter some visible frost is common on the outside coil, excessive amounts of ice in any season is an issue that will need to be checked out with a service call. Excessive icing can occur for a variety of reasons, and expert advice will be needed.

Heat pumps that are in proper working order will defrost on their own to prevent the unit from freezing. Heat pumps can differ in how they go into a defrost cycle, but most are either controlled by a timer or by a temperature control. If you notice excessive ice on your heat pump, turn it off and set up a service call with an HVAC professional. Do not attempt to use a metal implement to remove the ice; this could damage the delicate refrigerant coils. When your HVAC contractor comes to look at your frozen heat pump, he will check for some commons issues such as:

  • Defrost cycle not operating due to a control, timer or sensor malfunction
  • Reversing valve is not operating correctly
  • Outdoor fan motor is broken
  • Refrigerant level is low
  • Airflow to the heat pump is blocked or restricted

A good way to catch some of these problems and prevent a frozen heat pump is to schedule annual maintenance. Your contractor can find minor problems and repair them before they become major ones.

For more expert advice about a frozen heat pump or any other home comfort needs, please contact us at Overland Park Heating and Cooling. We’ve been serving the Greater Kansas City area since 1983.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Overland Park, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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