3 Common Reasons Why Your Air Conditioner Freezes Up

Is your air conditioner freezing up? How can something that works all day during the hottest days of the year be prone to freezing?

It's actually not uncommon for your AC to freeze up during summer heat. Only a small percentage of homeowners have the knowledge and understanding necessary to avoid this problem on their own. It's a problem that can transform a lovely summer day into a searing one in just minutes.

When your air conditioner freezes up, you should take immediate action to unfreeze it to avoid further harm. We're here to help you why it could happen so you can take proper measures and call for help as required.

Lack of Warmth

Your air conditioner needs a constant supply of warm air to function properly. If warm air from your home does not reach the refrigerant, it freezes any moisture on the coils. As a result, problems with the airflow inside the air conditioning unit or with the refrigerant flow or low outdoor temperature might cause your AC to malfunction.

Solution? The manufacturer can add a fan speed controller to adjust the speed of the condenser.

Restricted Airflow

When air circulation or the airflow from the unit to the room and vice versa is limited, the thermal energy exchange between the air conditioner and the space is disrupted. The condenser coil and fins remove the majority of the ice from the air as it passes through them, causing the temperature to drop. Because moisture can't enter, ice builds up and grows more consistently, eventually forcing the air conditioner to freeze.

Solution? Check the room and move any area rugs, curtains, or furniture that might be obstructing the flow of air. Don't also forget to clean your air filters on a regular basis. Failing to do so might result in dust and debris accumulation.

Leak of Refrigerant

The temperature of refrigerant rises when it is compressed; the opposite happens when it expands. This is why air conditioners use it: to cool the evaporator coil and transfer heat from the warm indoor air to the cooler outdoor air.

Pressure decreases whenever a refrigerant line leak is detected. As the refrigerant expands, as a result, the evaporator coils become colder. This temperature shift may not be obvious at first, but if the HVAC continues to lose refrigerant, more and more ice will accumulate on the coils.

If the HVAC is in decent working order and has years of service life remaining, a trained heating and cooling expert can repair the leak and ‘recharge' the refrigerant. For older units, a refrigerant leak is often caused for replacement.

What to do when the damage is done?

If your air conditioner becomes frozen, you should act fast to unfreeze it to avoid additional damage.

1. Turn your thermostat from cool to off. You must switch off your unit to defrost the ice, and turning on the fan will assist push warm air over the frozen AC coils, speeding up the entire unfreezing process. However, if you observe frost on the fans, do not utilize fan mode.

2. Once the ice has been removed, dry the evaporator coils. If the power is off, reconnect it and switch on the blower.

3. Set the thermostat to just run the fan or blower. This circulates air around and through the coils, quickly drying them. Your system should resume regular operation after the coils have dried. Even though you now know what to do when your AC unit stops, it's critical to avoid it from happening again.

A frozen air conditioner is a common and aggravating problem for homeowners. However, the problems that cause a frozen air conditioner may be avoided with regular maintenance. Tune-ups and changing air filters on a regular basis help to prevent mechanical breakdowns, blockages, and leaks.

Hiring a professional HVAC service, such as Texas Comfort Solutions, obtaining an annual AC tune-up, and taking advantage of Maintenance Service Plans can help you maintain your AC in good working order, save you money on your energy bill, and keep your AC unit running for years and years.

What Texas Comfort Solutions Offers You

Texas Comfort Solutions is focused and committed to giving you expert HVAC services at a fair price. We’re a local veteran and family-owned business dedicated to treating you and your home with care, respect, and integrity. Our team of reliable and experienced technicians has been repairing, maintaining, and installing HVAC systems in the Houston area since 2004.

Whether you’re looking for a system check-up or a completely new system upgrade, we’re here to help you with all your air conditioning and heating needs. To get in touch with us, visit https://www.txcomsol.com/ or call us at (832) 597-4191.