During the summer, air conditioners throughout Florida work overtime to keep millions of families comfortable and cool. With proper maintenance, your air conditioning system should work just fine throughout the year’s hottest months. However, sometimes, older air conditioning units or those that have not received timely maintenance may freeze up and fail, leaving you uncomfortably hot and searching for a solution that doesn’t require you to check into a hotel room. Here are several reasons why your air conditioner may freeze and how to address the issue and prevent it from happening again.
Insufficient Airflow
Air conditioning units pull in hot air from the house and cool it over a cold evaporator coil. The absorbed moisture will turn into condensation as it comes into contact with heated air. However, something blocking the warm air from flowing over these coils will prevent the heat from completing this process. If this occurs, the condensation on the coils can turn into ice. Ensure your air conditioner ducts are clear from obstructions to maintain proper airflow.
Not Enough Refrigerant
Believe it or not, insufficient refrigerant can cause your unit to freeze. Without enough refrigerant, your air conditioner will keep trying to heat and expand whatever refrigerant may remain in your system, if there’s any left at all. This will result in much cooler temperatures inside your system than it can handle. So, if your air conditioner is freezing up, you may have a refrigerant leak on your hands.
Air Filter Problems
Your air filters are put in place to catch airborne particulates such as dust, dander, pollen, and other bits as air passes into your unit. If your air filter becomes clogged, then your air conditioner has to work even harder to circulate air through the system. If your air conditioner is forced to work harder for an extended period, you run a higher risk of it freezing up or even breaking, which can require costly repairs.
Faulty Fan
Your air conditioner fan helps to properly circulate air throughout your whole unit. An improperly working fan leads to insufficient cooling of your home and a frozen evaporator coil. A couple of ways to tell if you have a faulty fan are if there is little to no air movement coming out of your vents or if the fan is only blowing at a particular speed.
Water Drainage Issues
If your air conditioner has a clogged drain line, you’ll figure it out pretty quickly. Indications of a clogged drain line include standing water around the unit, water damage surrounding the location of your air conditioner, and a musty odor. If your evaporator coils are frozen, the accumulated ice may block the drainage hole and prevent it from draining properly.
Your Next Steps: What To Do if Your Air Conditioner Freezes Up
If your air conditioner freezes, there are several things you should do to prevent further damage and help you solve the problem more quickly. First, you must turn your unit off to prevent additional frost from accumulating. By turning it off for a while, you will allow the ice to melt so that it can function once again. However, you may want to call a service technician to check your unit since it is now at a higher chance of freezing again in the future.
Here are a few other tips to consider if your unit is frozen:
- Turn your thermostat to heat to help accelerate the thawing process if there is significant accumulation.
- Continue to examine the drain pipe for any debris and monitor the melting process so you can quickly remove any water that builds in your drain pans.
- Make sure to set a reminder in your phone to change your air filters every month. If you are using a premium filter, you can change it every three months.
- Don’t ever let your air conditioner run if the coils are frozen. This can significantly damage your compressor, which is the most expensive part of any air conditioning unit.
After your air conditioner thaws, switch it back onto cool and make sure that the air blowing is cooler than before. If so, then you’ve solved your issue. However, if the air is still warm or your unit quickly freezes up again, you may need to contact Service Minds One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating. Our Service Minds HVAC technicians provide fast, reliable air conditioning repair and professional maintenance and installation services to keep your family cool all season long. Call us today to find out why thousands of homeowners across Jacksonville trust us for all their air conditioning needs.