Winter Heat Pump Advisory: Get Out and Shovel!
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Falls Church Times Staff
February 10, 2010
So there I was, gazing out at the near-blizzard, enjoying the beauty of the morning — no place I had to be other than in my bay window, laptop at hand, not a care in the world (well, except a nagging fear of losing power) – when I chanced to look out the side window at our heat pump.
Oh-oh. It was buried in a snow drift. Only the top vent was uncovered, which the continuously operating fan blew free. I knew the air was supposed to be coming through the sides of the unit and exiting at the top, but with the whole enclosure buried in snow, that was impossible.
How could I relax while my best winter friend was suffocating? There was nothing to be done but to bundle up and venture outside to rescue the heat pump. With a few minutes’ work it was dug out – and then I could see that the entire radiator was encased in solid ice.
That’s because every 30 minutes or so a heat pump will cycle in reverse to defrost its coils. You can recognize the defrost cycle when you see steam rising from the pump. But with snow packed around the pump, it could never defrost. Every try resulted in thicker ice.
There’s so much ice that I’m not sure it will melt, but since I did what I could, at least now I can relax.
Some technically challenged readers may be wondering whether they have a heat pump or not. Here’s the answer: Almost everyone has an outdoor unit that looks similar to mine. Take a look at it. If the fan is running, it’s a heat pump, and it wouldn’t hurt to dig it out. But if it’s shut down, completely buried, and deathly quiet, then don’t worry – that’s just an air conditioner in hibernation.
You won’t be needing to disturb it for a long, long time.
By George Southern
February 10, 2010
I would add two considerations to Mr. Southern’s valuable advice column.
1. Monitor the ice dams developing on your roof and in your gutters and clear those that are accessible. Should you be unable to reach an ice dam, roofing companies will dispatch folks who can gear-up to safely protect your home from water damage. Understand the cost involved before the crew arrives at your home.
2. Think about what your landscaping looks like each spring. If a shrub or small tree is under a mound of snow today, it may not be there when spring arrives. Larger plants can also snap under the weight of the snow and may not survive the winter. Clear the snow from plants that may not survive this 100-year snow event.