DIY Network

I'm going to build a roof over my new heat pump. Try to imagine this: The structure will have no walls only a roof. materials will be treated lumber...2x4's, 4x4's, treated plywood. The size is 6ft. tall x 6ft.wide x 4ft. deep. My plan is to have the four 4x4's as posts(not sunken but standing on the ground)the 2x4's will be crossed on the sides and a straight across 2x4 on the back. The plywood sheet will be attached to the post-tops. Will this stand? (Wind problems are minimal in the location of the heat pump.) The purpose is to keep snow from building up on the pump in the winter. I was advised by the makers to not use a tarp for a cover as the unit might turn on as I'm not turning it off in the winter because I hope it will help reduce heating bills early in the cold season and in the early spring. I appreciate any help!

The idea of building a sunshade/snow cover is ok. The shelter needs to be secured somehow. If you aren't putting the posts into the ground with a bit of concrete or other anchor for each one, you'll need to tie it down some other way.

Thanks for responding! I have some two-foot ground stakes. I could drive them in and tie to the posts. The ground is very bad with mine-rock and hard to dig. Will ground stakes work?

you could also install a snow fence
cut down on the drifting

These units aredesigned to sit outside in the weather and if there out behond the dip line of the roof need no protection. But you'll have to come up with a way to dig holes to set the post into or the roof will twist as the post settle. There needs to be at least 2 ft. of clear space in every direction above and around a heat pump for air flow and service.
Just a plywood roof is never going to last very long. It should be at least 1/2 plywood or OSB with felt paper and drip cap edging with shingles on it.

whatever is wrong with putting a piece of wood over the fan section for the winter? we strap ours on with bungees. it came with the house, and has been no problem with the system for the 15-20 years it's been in.

one half-sheet of plywood or masonite costs a darn sight less than a roof on piers, for pete's sake.

the only reason it's on there is all the blue spruces at the property line, and it cuts down on cleaning the needles out.

swschrad: you must turn yours off in the winter? Thanks for the input!
I don't have a wind problem so no drifts occur here!
Hadn't thought about a twisting roof ...must rethink the posts...I have 1/2 inch plywood-treated and plan on the two-foot clearance. Thanks Joecaptain!

Strapping a cover tight to the top of a heat pump defeats the whole idea of a heat pump. It's removing heat or cold by tranfuring it from one place to another. With a tight cover over it there's far less air flow and the unit works over time just to do it's job.
Think of it this way. If you had a window a/c unit and stood outside what do you feel on the outside part? Heat coming out. A heat pump is little more then an a/c unit with a reversing valve to change the energy transfur.
Now that that same unit and hold a piece of plywood over the outside where the coils are and go inside and feel where the cold air used to blow out. You'll see the air flow stopped.

I too have been wondering about putting some type of protection over my new heat pump. The old one had a great deal of rust on the inside of it and on the metal housing. It would still be exposed to the humidity, but the cover would cut down on the direct rain/snow/debris falling into it. I have not come up with any firm ideas on how to proceed, however. Being a single woman, it has to be cheap and something I can do myself. I do NOT use power tools that CUT, so I have been at a loss. Quick, someone invent a heat pump umbrella that attaches with screws somewhere on the housing's outside walls and has a domed cover! It can be like the umbrellas that have the wind vents so they let wind flow through them, but no rain. I think that's a grand idea!

Seems nothing is cheap anymore. With the wood frame of treated wood and treated plywoodtop with concrete pier anchors, I am spending about $150 on this project. Screws I already have. And I am still not happy with the anchoring of this structure. I wish I could attach it to my manufactured home but that is a no-no as it would "alter the integrety of the home" (as inspectors say). So I am going to build it the way I've planned and hope for the best! This can be done with a hand saw, screwdriver and tape measure. But, I have power tools and a friend to help! I wish there was a cheaper way!