With recent storms on east coast, people are wondering how to protect mini split heat pumps from storm conditions , Location of outside unit is very important to maximizing performance in storm condition , heat pumps should be located away from direct wind and snow if possible , In storm condition heat pumps are prone to take in snow which will lower efficiency , finding a location under a deck or installing a wind break around heat pumps is a great idea to protect in storm conditions and keep efficiency as high as possible.
We know that a well designed and installed heat pump will save money , to aid in efficiency consider outside location and possible wind break to protect mini split heat pumps in storm conditions
There are many covers out there to aid in keeping snow away from your pump, but I find they lack the proper protection from our weather patterns. My first year with a Heat Pump, I found myself dumping hot water on the back of my pump because snow and Ice was building up all the time. I looked at what was on the market but could not find anything that looked like it would work, so I built what I call a “doghouse” around my main unit, with proper ventilation holes on the sides to keep the airflow to a maximum. It may not be the prettiest thing but it works really well, especially in stormy conditions.