Ice on your Heat Pump?

Ever wonder if the ice on your heat pump is normal? And, if it’s normal, how much is normal? Heat pumps do ice-up in the winter time. It is normal for the entire coil to be covered in a white frost, even light ice, during certain weather conditions. It is not normal however, for the entire unit to be encased in ice, including the top of the unit and the insides of the coil for an extended period of time. This indicates a problem and should be addressed quickly to save energy and avoid serious damage to the equipment. Heat pumps will naturally ice-up in the winter but will periodically go into a defrost cycle to de-ice the coils. This keeps the unit running efficiently. If the coils are blocked by ice, proper heat transfer between the freon and the outside air cannot occur. When this happens, you need to schedule an Apollo Heating and Air Conditioning service technician to come out and diagnose the problem, before damage occurs to the heat pump. 509-396-COLD(2653)