For anyone out there with a heat pump, deep freezes can be a scary thing to encounter. They can freeze up your heating system to the point where it needs to run a defrost cycle, and then it’s going to pump cool air into your house. This can be bizarre and hard to understand for homeowners that are already trying as hard as they can to fight the cold.
If you’re concerned about heat pump repair in Grand Rapids, MI, we’d like to start off by saying that the defrost cycle on your heat pump isn’t an error, it’s running that way on purpose.
Let’s talk about why a deep freeze can seriously affect your heat pump (and cause the need to recover), and a few other reasons why you might need to call us for repairs during the deep freeze.
What Is a Deep Freeze?
First of all, we need to talk about the term “deep freeze.” All we mean by this is when temperatures sharply drop, either during the night or on a cold day. A sharp drop in temperature is different from a gradual one, because at least with slow temperature drops during the winter, you can prepare for them and you’re almost expecting them. With deep freezes, especially one right after rain when water starts to freeze all over your neighborhood, they can be especially scary and dangerous.
Basically, every time temperatures drop lower than expected, you can assume your heat pump will struggle a bit.
Why Heat Pumps Need to Defrost?
We mentioned earlier that the defrost cycle of your heat pump isn’t an error, but actually a part of the heating process. Let us explain.
Normally, a heat pump will pull heat from the outdoor air, no matter how cold it is, and deposit it indoors where you can feel it. However, when temperatures drop fast, especially with freezing humidity causing ice to form on the coils, your system will have trouble running how it’s supposed to.
The defrost cycle will start to run in reverse and pull heat from inside your house so it can warm up the coils and melt the ice. This means that, yes, your heat pump will start pumping cool air into your home as it tries to recover from the cold temperatures that are inhibiting the heating process.
Our Team Can Help
Don’t be alarmed. Firstly, make sure your home is always at a comfortable temperature. This means that when the heat pump has to quickly run in defrost mode, you’re not encountering dangerously cold conditions and your family feels safe and comfortable. Anything above the mid-50s should work fine, since your heat pump will get right back to heating your home once it has recovered.
However, if your heat pump starts continuously blowing cold air into your house, then you might have a problem. At that point, it might be a good idea to call us for heating repairs. We’ll be sure not to leave your house until you’re safe, comfortable, and warm!
Need advice for your heat pump system? Contact GRmetro Heating and Cooling Inc.
