Ice damming can create a dangerous situation for your home. Understanding how it affects your home and HVAC system can allow you to take appropriate preventative measures. We’re going to take an in-depth look at what ice damming is below and how you can protect your home from experiencing it.
What Is Ice Damming?
Ice damming occurs when there isn’t proper ventilation or insulation in your attic. Heat will rise up and melt the underside of the snow. Before the water can reach the gutter, it ends up refreezing. Over time, this continues to cause water to back up on your roof. It can seep under your shingles and create extensive damage to your home.
Physical Damage to Outdoor HVAC Units
Ice damming can have a detrimental effect on your HVAC system in a few different ways. One of the most obvious is the potential for physical damage to your outdoor unit. When you use a central air conditioning system, your outdoor condenser unit will sit near your home’s exterior.
This makes it susceptible to damage from any falling roof debris. Objects like icicles can dent the top of the condenser unit and even dent the fins on its outside. When these fins get bent, they can drastically reduce the ability of the condenser unit to work efficiently.
Furthermore, any water that runs off the side of your roof instead of your gutter can allow unwanted condensation to enter the top of your condenser unit. Even snow can enter an uncovered unit. When this condensation turns to ice, it can be a real problem for the condenser’s internal components.
Ice can also permanently distort the condenser coils, which will leave your system unable to operate. Even more so, snow that remains on the unit’s fins can turn into ice. When this happens, the ice will expand and can dent the fins. This will translate to more system inefficiency until they’re straightened back out.
Protecting Your Outdoor Condenser Unit
One of the very best things you can do to protect your outdoor condenser unit from ice is to cover it. You’ll want to use a specific condenser cover that offers a solid top and mesh siding. This will keep any falling debris from entering the top of your condenser unit and causing damage to its internal components.
When it comes to damage from ice damming, prevention is the best strategy to protect against damage. Ensuring your attic is properly ventilated can help prevent damming from occurring in the first place. If your roof has ice damming, safely remove any chunks of ice that are overhanging your condenser unit, as they may cause permanent damage if they fall.
Excess System Wear and Tear
While it’s very easy to think about the physical damage that ice can have on your outdoor HVAC unit, the damage doesn’t stop there. When your roof has ice damming, you don’t have adequate attic insulation.
A lack of insulation will allow the heat that your heating system produces to easily rise and escape through the attic of your home. This will cause your heating system to constantly kick on to keep up with your heating demands. Excessive runtimes can lead to extensive wear and tear on your HVAC system. This can result in a much shorter lifespan and an increased breakdown risk.
Additionally, when a large amount of snow builds up around your condenser unit, it can restrict its ability to operate efficiently. You’ll see a drastic increase in your energy bills and are more likely to experience a breakdown due to the excessive wear on your system.
Saving Your HVAC System From Excessive Wear and Tear
One of the best ways to help prevent the various problems created by ice damming is to simply add insulation to your attic. There is a set R-value minimum listed in the building code for your area of the country. Your attic insulation should match or exceed that minimum R-value to prevent ice damming from occurring in the future.
Other Tips to Adequately Prep Your Outdoor Condenser Unit for Winter
Before the winter season hits, do your part to prevent any damage from happening to your outdoor condenser unit. A good start is to have one of our HVAC professionals assess your unit and spray an anti-corrosion spray on the unit’s coils to keep them safe from rust throughout the winter.
When you go to cover your outdoor AC unit, be sure to remove any twigs, leaves, or other debris that’s stuck up against the unit. If you get any major snow, be sure to shovel off the top of the unit to prevent the weight of the snow from pushing down onto it, especially if you get a lot of snow. Consider having your outdoor condenser unit elevated to keep its base out of any puddling snowmelt.
Covering Your Heat Pump Condenser Appropriately
If you use a heat pump throughout the winter months, then a traditional condenser cover isn’t the answer. You don’t want to restrict the airflow of the unit, as this will significantly impact its ability to function properly. Instead, you’ll want to use a more specialized heat pump cover. These look similar to a small canopy that works to keep snow and ice off your outdoor unit while still allowing adequate airflow for optimal functionality.
If you don’t want to purchase one of these cover systems, investing in a fence or other feature to act as a windbreak can be a great choice. Just ensure that there are at least three feet of space between the condenser unit and the wind barrier to ensure that the operation of your heat pump isn’t affected.
Other Ways to Protect Your HVAC System During the Cold Winter Months
Apart from adequately protecting your outdoor HVAC unit from ice damming, there are other great tactics you can implement to help protect your heating system this winter. One of the most important tactics is to have one of our HVAC professionals perform service on your heating system. This will ensure that it’s working in tip-top condition and detect any potential problems with your system so you can have them repaired.
You’ll also want to keep up with regular air filter changes. Opt for checking your HVAC filter once a month and replace it when necessary. This will prevent system inefficiency and potential excessive wear and tear on its internal components. Additionally, getting regular duct cleaning service and having your chimney swept will go a long way in preventing problems with your heating system during the winter.
Trustworthy HVAC Repair Service
Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. offers trustworthy HVAC repair services for the Canterbury, NH community. Our technicians can assist with all your heating, air conditioning, commercial HVAC, new construction, high-velocity HVAC, Wi-Fi thermostat, indoor air quality, oil-to-gas conversion, water heater, and tankless water heater needs. Call us today to book your next service appointment with one of our reliable HVAC technicians.
