Heavy snowfall in Upper St. Clair, PA, poses a risk to your heat pump. Though heat pumps have some systems in place to deal with snow, frost or ice accumulating on them, a threat still exists. Here are three reasons to remember to clear snow away from your heat pump this winter:
Wiring Damage
Snow and ice can damage the electrical wiring in your heat pump’s compressor and other outdoor components. Fuse failure occurs if snow crushes the fuse box near your outdoor condenser unit. Any of these things can stop the system from working.
Hindered Fan Function
Proper airflow is essential to keeping your system unctioning well this winter. For this, the pump needs its fans to all be in good working order. Unfortunately, snow and ice are major winter threats to heat pump fans.
If snow gets in between the blades of the fans, it may stop them from spinning. This will make your heat pump fail to function. Scheduling maintenance service can give the fan and the rest of the system the best chance of functioning well all winter.
Damage to Metal
Your heat pump uses many metal components. No matter where exactly water gathers, it can cause these components to rust after a while. Furthermore, if any moisture freezes and turns into ice, that ice will expand and may crack metal components.
Both of these factors will physically undermine your heat pump. Clearing snow and moisture from the outdoor condenser unit should be a priority after a heavy snowfall.
Snow will be one of your heat pump’s primary foes this winter in Upper St. Clair, PA. If you don’t clear it away, the pump may not be able to do its job and keep you warm. For help, call Woodruff and Smith Heating and Cooling, Inc. and ask for our HVAC maintenance and repair services.
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