Your heat pump operates according to many of the same principles as an air conditioner, which means it suffers from many of the same problems as well. For instance, you may notice puddles of water forming around its base, or dripping from key components in your heat pump. It’s not a good thing. The causes are myriad, but you likely need to contact a professional to deal with it. The good news is that here in Wilmette, IL, heat pump repair services are readily available. “Why is water dripping from my heat pump?” you ask. A brief rundown of the more common causes can be found below.
In many cases, the dripping water comes from ice on the cooling coils, which indicates a loss of refrigerant. Heat pumps and air conditioners need specific levels of refrigerant (dependent upon their models) to operate. When a leak springs up and the refrigerant levels drop, the cooling process is thrown off balance and ice forms on the evaporator coils. (The ice represents lost cooling potential that should be going into your home, as well as forming an unwelcome layer of insulation between the refrigerant and the air it needs to cool.) When you turn the air conditioner off, the ice may melt, forming puddles at the base of the unit.
You may also experience leaks if there are problems with the drainage system. Heat pumps often feature a condensate pan to catch normal condensation as it forms in the unit. That condensation then drips out of the system via a drain line. If the line becomes clogged or the pan is misaligned, water may drip out. (In many cases, a floater in the pan will automatically turn the system off before this happens, though you’ll still need to fix the problem before the heat pump will run again.)
If you spot water dripping from your system, the next step is to call Shavitz Heating & Air Conditioning for help. We offer a variety of air conditioning services in Wilmette, IL and heat pump repair is one of our regular services, and we have the know how to treat the root of the problem, not just the symptoms. Contact us today and let us show you what we can do!