How to Fix a Frozen Air Conditioner
While an air conditioning (AC) unit can run into a variety of issues, one of the most common is a frozen air conditioner. It can be unexpected to see your AC freezing up, especially in the midst of summer. It can also freeze in warm-weather regions as well. And it’s always a sign of a problem. Your air conditioner may occasionally freeze after a period of time. When this happens, the cool air is not effectively released, and a large block of ice may form on the evaporator coil. As the ice begins to obstruct the air movement, you will observe that there is very little airflow coming from the air ventilation.
How To Know If My AC Is Frozen?
The first indication that your air conditioner has ice formation is that it isn’t hitting the correct thermostat setting. If you put your palm next to your supply vents and feel warm air pouring out, you most likely have ice somewhere in the system.
If the airflow feels warm rather than cool, switch off the unit and remove or unscrew the access panel to the evaporator (the location of the evaporator can be found on your manufacturer’s system diagram). If you see frozen AC coils or ice on any of the hardware or panels, your system’s refrigerant may have dropped below 32 degrees, resulting in a frozen air conditioner.
Fixing a Frozen Air Conditioner Unit
Fixing your frozen air conditioner unit is generally a straightforward solution if found early. There are a few simple actions you can take to get everything back up and running:
Step 1: Turn off your HVAC system. Even if it’s hot outdoors, you must switch off your air conditioner! Running a frozen air conditioner will break down parts considerably sooner and may cause your unit to overheat. Broken parts are bad news for your HVAC unit’s most pricey component, the compressor.
Step 2: Turn on your thermostat’s fan. Turning on the HVAC fan will compel it to blast warm air over any frozen coils, speeding up the defrost process. Check that it is set to ON rather than AUTO. Automatic settings enable the fan to cycle, starting and stopping repeatedly.
Step 3: Determine the underlying cause. It’s time to start digging a little deeper. What happened to cause your air conditioner to freeze? There are several possible causes:
- Clogged air filters
- Dirty evaporator coils
- Refrigerant leaks
- Problematic parts and other issues
Step 4: Seek assistance. If you are unable to determine why your air conditioner is freezing, or if you discover difficulties such as a leak that requires special attention, please contact an AC specialist.
Step 5: Create a preventative maintenance plan. A proactive and preventive approach allows you to save money on your electricity bill all year round and extends the life of your HVAC system. With excellent ventilation and frequent service, you can avoid the pain of ice on your HVAC system.
Not only will the professionals be able to precisely analyze the problems, but they will also be able to offer you an estimate for repairs or assist you in upgrading to a newer unit that may be more energy efficient. Hiring a skilled HVAC service team, such as True North Mechanical, will help you determine your long-term value for money. Call us now as we are ready to assist with any air conditioning service.