Heat Pump Services We Offer in Georgetown TX
All heat pump repairs, reversing valve, defrost board, auxiliary heat, refrigerant circuit, and electrical components.
Systematic diagnosis of heat pump issues including heating mode failures, cooling failures, and abnormal operation.
Bi-annual heat pump tune-up, coil cleaning, refrigerant check, electrical testing, and defrost system verification.
Performance evaluation and optimization for heat pump systems running inefficiently or failing to reach setpoint.
Balance airflow distribution from heat pump systems for consistent comfort throughout the home.
The reversing valve switches the system between heating and cooling mode. Failure causes it to lock in one mode, we test and replace as needed.
Defrost board failure causes ice accumulation on the outdoor coil, we replace faulty boards and verify defrost cycles.
Prevent ice accumulation in the outdoor unit base pan during Georgetown freeze events.
Elevate the outdoor unit to prevent flooding and ice coverage during rare Georgetown ice storms.
Aux heat strips provide backup heating below the heat pump's efficiency range, we repair auxiliary heat controls and sequencers.
Heat pump stuck in defrost, defrosting too frequently, or not defrosting enough, we calibrate or repair the defrost system.
Same-day emergency heat pump service during Georgetown cold snaps and summer peak cooling periods.
Why the Base Pan Freezes and How the Heater Fixes It
During a normal defrost cycle, frost and ice that have accumulated on the outdoor coil melt off and drain through the base pan at the bottom of the outdoor unit. In freezing ambient conditions, that meltwater can refreeze in the pan before it finishes draining, and each subsequent defrost cycle adds another layer. Over a cold snap this can build into a solid ice sheet that locks the fan blade, freezes the compressor mounting to the pan, or blocks the drain path entirely so water backs up inside the cabinet.
A base pan heater is a low-wattage electric heating element, typically in the 60 to 150 watt range, installed around the pan's drain area. It is wired to cycle either with the defrost control board or on its own ambient thermostat, and its only job is to keep the drain path just above freezing so meltwater exits the unit instead of refreezing in place. It is not meant to heat the whole unit or prevent frost from forming on the coil in the first place, that is what the defrost cycle itself handles.
Installation involves routing the heater cable around the pan perimeter and drain hole per the manufacturer's layout, wiring it into either a dedicated low-voltage circuit tied to the defrost board or its own line-voltage circuit with a built-in thermostat, and confirming it is properly interlocked so it is not running needlessly through the summer months. Many outdoor units, especially older installations, shipped without a factory pan heater, and a retrofit kit can be added during a service visit without removing the unit from its pad.
Georgetown's winter weather is actually a good argument for a pan heater even though hard freezes are relatively rare here. Ice storms and near-freezing rain events create repeated freeze-thaw cycling rather than one steady cold stretch, and that pattern is often harder on a base pan than a single sustained freeze, because partial melting and refreezing happens multiple times in a day and builds thicker ice than a one-time freeze would.
Frequently Asked Questions About Base Pan Heaters
Heat Pump Not Working?
We service all heat pump brands and carry common parts on every truck.