Air Conditioner Frozen – What To Do?

Air Conditioner Frozen

Even in a warm climate like Texas, air conditioners can and do become clogged with ice and condensation. Obviously, ice on an air conditioner is always a sign that something is wrong. Certainly, we at Air Check Mechanical Service have been known to give customers the opportunity to create an “ice cold” air conditioned environment, but ice on the AC itself is a big no-no. In the event that your air conditioner is frozen or has ice forming on it, there is usually a singular, but major problem:

There’s a problem with your refrigerant system.

The refrigerant in your air conditioner is a critical component of the system. Using a variety of components within your HVAC system, the refrigerant collects the heat from your home and transports it to the outdoors.

Vibrations and normal wear and tear can cause refrigerant leaks over time. This reduces the efficiency of your air conditioning system and increases the likelihood of the air conditioner freezing. One of the reasons we strongly advocate for regular air conditioning maintenance is because it helps to prevent costly breakdowns caused by such a unit freeze.

Incorrect Refrigerant Charging Or Loss

It is possible for an air conditioner to run out of refrigerant or to be charged incorrectly, causing the coils containing the refrigerant to become too cold, resulting in ice accumulating on the coils. When the air is humid or the coils are dirty, this particular problem always has the potential to become more severe very quickly.

Fixing The Refrigerant Issue

Have your refrigerant charge inspected by a qualified professional HVAC technician from Air Check Mechanical. If your air conditioner is running low on refrigerant, the likelihood is that you have a leak, as air conditioners do not “use up” refrigerant during operation. The best course of action is to have the leak repaired immediately or you will find yourself in the same situation again.

Bad Airflow Can Also Be A Culprit

Inadequate airflow is the second most common reason for an air conditioner to become frozen. To put it simply, this means that your air conditioner is suffocating and isn’t getting enough air to function effectively. While this is somewhat rare, as most folks do keep their outdoor air conditioning free of obstruction, it can happen to you.

The way that this scenario shapes up is when we see insufficient airflow in the main condenser, air conditioner coils temperature drops below freezing. Because of the humidity in the air, ice forms on the coils of your air conditioner, causing an even greater buildup of ice on your unit.

This is typically caused by a clogged air filter that needs to be replaced, but it can also be caused by the following:

• A restrictive air filter is one that is too restrictive.
• There are not enough return ducts.
• Ductwork that is either improperly sized or damaged
• Evaporator coils that are dirty

How to fix it: Replace the air filter in your HVAC system. You should contact a professional air conditioning repair company if you continue to have problems with your air conditioning system.

from Air Check Mechanical Service
via https://www.aircheckms.com/ac-maintenance-services/air-conditioner-frozen/