Topic: Anyone here know HVAC?

[The Bar-Abbas Anomaly]

 

What does it mean when your outdoor air-conditioning/heating compressor frosts over like a giant snow cone?  It's an electric heat-pump unit, and I'm still getting warm air out of it inside the house, but I suspect that it may be just using the electric heater backup.

 

I'm pretty sure it can't be good.

[The Postman]

What is the outdoor temp?

[The Bar-Abbas Anomaly]

 

Well, it's cold.  40 degrees daytime, and mid-teens at night (degrees F, not C....)


I talked to someone today, and he said that the compressor should run a 'defrost cycle' once per hour or so, and a bad sensor or control board could prevent that from happening.


Then he recommended replacing the whole system due to it's age....

 

[Javora]

My heater went out a couple of years ago, I have a plan through my electric company which if something breaks the electric company will send someone out to fix it at no charge.  The repair to my heater would have cost about $500USD.  My obvious question is does your electric company offer anything like that?  If they do and you get on that type of plan they probably won't cover it since it already broke before you signed up, but they may fix it for a fee which is still better than replacing the whole system.  It is a long shot, but what the heck I don't see where you have anything to lose.  Hope this helps.