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Heat pumps operate similarly to air conditioning systems, so they often suffer from the same issues. Noticing puddles of water or some dripping from your pump is never a good sign. However, dripping water from heat pumps is an astonishingly common problem among homeowners, so there’s nothing to worry about it.
Still, to limit the chances of the problem getting severe (and harder to solve), you must take care of it as soon as you notice something is wrong. To do so, you should be familiar with the most common causes of leaking pumps so that you know what to expect.
To make things easy for you, we compiled all the information you need to take care of your heat pump in this article.
The reality is that multiple reasons can cause leakage. However, drainage issues are one of the most common ones. If you never cleaned the drain pan and you spot some leaking, chances are dirt, mold, debris, and other particles might be clogging it. Not all heat pumps feature condensate pans to collect condensation formed in the unit, but most. If the drainage is causing water to overflow, all you have to do is clean it. While it might be easy to solve the issue of visible particles, to check for the presence of mold or algae, you should contact a professional.
Luckily, some models have a floater designed to turn the system off before overflowing automatically, which gives you enough time to deal with the issue. Still, you must pay attention to the performance of your pump to keep it functional and increase its lifespan.
Things might get a bit more complicated than simply having to clean a drain pad. For instance, the evaporator coils on your heat pump might freeze. Don’t be fooled to think that’s an issue for the winter season. Coils usually freeze during the summer when refrigerants are at such a low level to cause ice formation. To properly function, your pump needs specific levels of refrigerant. If that level is altered, the cooling process goes off balance, which causes ice to form. Ice building up can impair your pump’s efficiency and performance at cooling your house. You might spot this issue by noticing some evidence of melted ice and the formation of puddles.
Another common problem that might cause leakage is dirt accumulation on coils. Just like it is necessary to provide regular maintenance to the appliances in your home, you should ensure that you regularly clean the parts making up your pump. Excess dirt and dust can cause them to stop functioning, causing leakages. Cleaning dirty coils are not as easy as it sounds. You’ll need to wash them both on the outside and inside. If you are not sure you’ll achieve the results you want by doing it yourself, you may want to consider counting on the help of professional technicians.
Like we mentioned at the beginning of this article, heat pumps are similar to air conditioners. So they also take indoor moisture in excess as part of their cooling process. The humidity travels down into the overflow pan and might cause it to corrode over time. Corrosion can cause overflow pans to crack, which will, in turn, result in a leaking pump. Commonly, a cracked pan causes large pools on your floor and often reduces the efficiency in functioning.
No one likes to solve problems that have become so big it’s too late to fix them. As a rule of thumb, it is a good idea to keep an inspection checklist at home and to ensure your heat pump receives adequate and regular maintenance. Annual or semi-annual inspections are the best ways to prevent minor damages become severe ones. Indeed, a leaking pump does not only make you uncomfortable in your home but might also cause structural and aesthetic issues to the place. Plus, it is a potential source of waste energy, which will increase the overall costs of damage. While it is essential to know what can cause problems with your heat pump, you should also know that sometimes professionals do it better. Do not hesitate to contact a reputable company for your maintenance and help you solve some of the issues we listed above.
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