Tags: North Port, North Port Heat Pump Repair

As you use your heat pump to keep cool this summer, you may notice ice forming on the indoor coil. This may seem like a good thing, at first. After all, isn’t your heat pump supposed to be generating cool air? However, what heat pump ice is actually the sign of a very serious issue that can lead to a full system breakdown. Let’s take a look at why this happens, and what you can do about it.

The Evaporator Coil

The evaporator coil is the part of the heat pump responsible for evaporating refrigerant to siphon heat out of the home. Which coil is the evaporator coil will change depending on whether or not the heat pump is in heating or cooling mode, but in cooling mode it’s the inside coil. As the coil evaporates refrigerant to siphon heat from the air, the temperature of the air around the coil drops. Condensation forms on the coil as the air is cooled past the dew point. Normally, the flow of warm air from the home’s ducts is enough to keep the temperature around the coil from dropping below freezing. If the flow of fresh air is ever cut off, though, the condensate will freeze and form ice.

Ice Problems

While the coil is frozen over, it will be unable to properly siphon heat from the air in the ducts. This causes the system to decline dramatically in terms of output. The ice will eventually spread down the refrigerant line to other parts of the system, where it will cause them to malfunction and break down. This is why you need to call for repairs as soon as you notice ice forming on your heat pump.

Cliffs Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. offers a full range of heat pump repair services throughout Port Charlotte, FL.