Heavy Snow Predicted-Heat Pump Preparation
- Thread starter PontiacHO
- Start date
Last week in Maryland a friend had snow/ice slide off her roof onto the heat pump, knocking it out. The key is to keep it cleared off the best you can.
snow never bothers mine. It blows it away, it can clog the outside coil causing more and longer defrost cycles, so expect a higher bill, but no damage, Ice or rain can make the fan blades get blocked. If you are having ice accumulations until you inspect the outside unit. you can switch to emergency heat. I never burned out the fan motor but it is something to check. I have a watering can I fill with hot water to defrost it. I has taken as much as 3 cans when we had a horrible ice storm. Snow has never been an issue.
The one at my in-laws just sits out there and takes whatever weather there is. It gets some snow into it, but its running pretty steadily, so nothing freezes up.
Owen Lucas
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My heat pumps are on a stand, about 2' of the ground. Blowing snow has not affected them and there are no issues with the gutters above. I ran the heat and they work just fine. Pretty sure they are designed to handle some snow.
Depending on how much snow you get and how much blowing and drifting occurs around the outside unit, you might want to keep the snow back away from the unit to aid in air flow. I've never had a snow issue though with 20 years of heat pump experience living in the southern Appalachian Mountains where we've had 15-20" snows in the past. Seems to not collect in and around the unit. As stated you can always run auxiliary heat if the outside unit is snowed in.
Snow will likely lot affect it, unless it's heavy and wet. But any water or wet snow may freeze on it, forcing it into more frequent defrost cycles. In the heat pump mode, the outside unit is the cold one.
We had several days of below freezing temps here in TX recently and the inside of my unit was covered in some ice, and it did do defrost cycles quite often.
We had several days of below freezing temps here in TX recently and the inside of my unit was covered in some ice, and it did do defrost cycles quite often.
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Necessary? Depends on how much snow it is exposed to. As mentioned before, excess snow will cause more defrost cycles (ie not heating). Another concern is snow build up under the unit, which may prevent adequate drainage.
Here's a Mitsubishi snow guard:
https://www.mitsubishitechinfo.ca/s...-1(RE)(SD)_PUMY_N(H)(K)MU_P-Series_201705.pdf
I haven't really found any guidance on when it is required though.
Here's a Mitsubishi snow guard:
https://www.mitsubishitechinfo.ca/s...-1(RE)(SD)_PUMY_N(H)(K)MU_P-Series_201705.pdf
I haven't really found any guidance on when it is required though.
I thought about the same, I think the biggest concerned would be an ice storm. this stuff was only brought to my attention by some in TN which was an extreme event. They simply put a sheet of plywood propped up on an angle to stop the freezing rain hitting the unit.
Yup, retirement gives you a lot of time to think and overthink things but sometimes that is good as well as keeping that brain thinking ... or else...
the alternative ...You getting any snow yet? Nothing in Wake Forest yet.I thought about the same, I think the biggest concerned would be an ice storm. this stuff was only brought to my attention by some in TN which was an extreme event. They simply put a sheet of plywood propped up on an angle to stop the freezing rain hitting the unit.
Yup, retirement gives you a lot of time to think and overthink things but sometimes that is good as well as keeping that brain thinking ... or else...
My son is getting A LOT up in South Spartanburg SC ... I would say based on the photos he is sending about 3 inches so far and just texted coming down heavy now.
You know the weather hype, BOMB CYCLONE my a__ .
I knew two days ago there was a slight mention of more dry air than they suspected. ANYWAY, the Calabash NC area is supposed to pick up significant snow later today into the night... With that said, I am wondering now if we will even get 6 inches... I bet it ends up like 4. we will see. The ground is covered with a very light coating of snow, maybe about 1/4 inch or less.
The sun was just out!
I hear up by you is where the dry air is. The Triangle Area.
We like the Wake Forest area after my health crisis last year I wish we lived up there for the facilities. We actually stayed over night late 2024 and met with a team of doctors at Duke Cancer Center. AMAZING experience. (im all good now)
It was in Nov, we also went to that Chinese Lantern Festival and ate pizza in that famous place in Durham or Raleigh
We stayed at LaQuinta in Durham
Glad to hear you’re healed up Sir. I like the Calabash area. We had a place in Little River until a few years ago at Mariners Point. Sold the condo and my boat slip. The HOA fees for both were more than I wanted to deal with in retirement.
Oh, yes, I remember that conversation now. I can understand not wanting to deal with those expenses. After living in-land for 16 years we did it the other way around, moved from the Lake Murray, Chapin SC area back to the coast here in NC as I grew up with on Long Island NY on the Great South Bay across from the Jones Beach/Gilgo Beach area.
Thing is, getting older, honestly> the medical network sucks here. So fragmented but at least, with anything major we are less than or about 3 hours away from Duke. Who knows, once I get real old maybe we will be up there closer...
Ps, sun has been in and out and currently 35 degrees...
Duke does have most everything needed between Raleigh and Durham. My wife and I have specialists scattered in both locations. I’m 68 this year and feeling every year of it now recovering from hernia surgery In December. I love the coastal areas though. My son and family live in Hampstead so we get down for extended stays several times a year. I had a great doctor that moved to Shallotte. Dr. Chad Weston. Great doctor if you’re considering a change. Probably 12 to 15 miles from you.
Awesome, I will check that doctor out.
Right now I go to Bolivia, Shallotte to me is around the corner
I’d rather drive to Home Depot and Lowe’s and other stores in Shallotte then to North Myrtle Beach traffic
God willing I’ll turn 70 this year, my brain doesn’t think it, but I guess my body is the reality
