Though it may run against common sense, your air conditioner can freeze no matter what time of year it is. Here are the top four reasons your air conditioner might be frozen along with some suggestions about handling the problem.
Refrigerant
Low refrigerant levels cause the remaining refrigerant to maintain lower temperatures. Low refrigerant levels can occur for several reasons including leaks, and they cause the refrigerant to enter the evaporator coil at a lower temperature than normal. This causes condensation to form on the coil, and that moisture will freeze. The more condensation there is, the more ice forms. This impedes the flow of air across the coil, and that causes more freezing. If you’ve got ice, it’s time to call a professional so the reason can be identified and the problem can be repaired.
Air Flow
The effectiveness of your air conditioning system depends upon having good air flow. When air flow is impeded or restricted, the evaporator coil can freeze. Humidity will collect on the coil, and as the coil gets colder, it freezes the collected moisture on its surface. The evaporator coils job is to remove heat from the home’s air as it flows across it, and anything restricting that air flow not only prevents it from doing its job, it makes matters worse as it continues to get colder and colder until the home’s hot air isn’t being cooled. Of course, that’s not the only thing that cause a frozen air conditioner. Collapsed or poor air ducts, dirty air filters, and damaged motors can also play a part in creating problems for your system.
Outside Temperature
When it’s really cold outside, running your air conditioner can cause it to freeze up. This is because air conditioners aren’t designed to ruin at low temperatures. There are temperature controls that can be added to allow it to operate effectively at low temperatures, but until they’ve been installed, there’s a strong possibility your air conditioner will freeze up in low outside temperatures. Talk with a qualified professional about this issue.
What Should I Do If My Air Conditioner Is Frozen?
You’ve just discovered your air conditioner is frozen. What next? The very first thing you should do is turn off your air conditioner. Allowing it to operate in this condition can lead to serious damage to your unit. Once your system is off, it will eventually thaw. While it’s thawing, check out your system’s main components. See if your filter is damaged or dirty. Check to see if something is impeding the flow of air. Think about how cold it’s been outside. If it doesn’t appear that one of these might be the problem, call a professional at AC Genius to look at your system. Our professional technicians are trained to identify problems and implement solutions at affordable prices.
