Why Is My Heat Pump Going Into Defrost Mode?

Your heat pump is an integral part of your heating and cooling system. Your heat pump’s job is to use a refrigerant to transfer warmer thermal energy from the cool outdoor air to the indoors to provide a source of heat. In the warmer months it uses this same process to draw the heat out of your home and transfer it outside to cool the space.

You rely on your heat pump to maintain a pleasant temperature in your home. When it is not functioning optimally, you definitely notice the difference! Any time you have a concern for the heat pump mechanism in your DeLand or West Volusia home, call Jacob Heating & Air Conditioning at (386) 337-3502 or contact us online to schedule service!

What Is Defrost Mode for a Heat Pump?

When the heat pump is in the heating cycle, the transfer of thermal energy often involves significantly cooler outdoor air. Under some temperature and humidity levels, frost may form on the outdoor coil and can accumulate quickly. This puts strain on the heat pump system and makes operation unnecessarily laborsome.

In order to combat this, your heat pump has what is called a defrost cycle to eliminate the frost from the outdoor coil. When the heat pump goes into defrost mode, it momentarily reverses operation and goes through the “cooling cycle.” This forces warm air through the outdoor coil, warming it temporarily to remove the frost. It will continue in the defrost mode until the outdoor coil reaches 57 degrees.

For more information on your heat pump’s defrost cycle and what to do, check out this video!

https://www.jacobhac.com/news-flash/video

Common Causes for Your Heat Pump’s Defrost Mode

If you have noticed a buildup of frost and ice on the outdoor coil of your heat pump, it may indicate that the unit is not going through the full defrost cycle. There can be a variety of causes when your heat pump is not defrosting properly. Some of the most common causes include:

• Faulty thermostat
• Wiring that is going bad
• Damage to the outdoor coil
• Bad reversing valve
• Leak in the refrigerant
• Fan is not engaging or has blades running the wrong direction
• Accumulation of debris on or around the outdoor coil
• Fan motor running at too low RPM

These concerns require the services of a trained professional who has ample experience working with heat pumps. It takes an extensive knowledge of the heat pump mechanism and all of the necessary components to diagnose the precise cause of the failure and address it accordingly. Thankfully, you have the experts at Jacob Heating & Air Conditioning are just a phone call away!

Schedule Service From the Professionals

Any time your heating and cooling systems aren’t performing the way you need them to, the team at Jacob Heating & Air Conditioning is here! We proudly offer heat pump repair and heat pump maintenance for homes in DeLand and West Volusia, FL. Our team of fully certified technicians will quickly and efficiently identify the problem and administer the necessary repairs with precision and care.

For quality service every time, Jacob Heating & Air Conditioning is the team to call! Contact us today at (386) 337-3502 or contact us online!