When your air conditioner freezes up, you can see that there is a frost build-up on the copper coming out of the system. In some cases, the build-up of frost is so severe that it will form a solid block of ice. Fortunately, it is often easy to solve this problem. Even if your air conditioner seems to be frozen, it does not indicate a serious problem with the system.
What You Should Do When There Is Ice In The AC Unit
The first thing you should do if your AC unit is frozen is to turn the entire system off because as long as the air conditioner is trying to cool your home, the frost will continue to form.
You may even need to turn the thermostat over to the heat setting to speed the thawing process.
It is important to watch the level of water in the AC unit while the air conditioner is warming up and thawing the ice. Your air conditioner can be damaged if the drain pan overflows.
What Is The Reason The AC Unit Is Freezing Up?
1. Refrigerant Is Low.
The refrigerant known as chlorodifluoromethane or R22 can be the cause of the freeze-up.
R22 can have various properties depending on the level of pressure. If the system is working properly, the refrigerant is supposed to pass through the lines at a temperature that may cause condensation outside the line.
The R22 can react differently if something happens that causes the pressure in the system to change. If the warm air in the house contains moisture, the moisture will start to condense on the coils and freeze, causing ice to form.
A small amount of frost will not cause a noticeable problem with the air conditioner performance, but if the ice builds up too much, the airflow will be affected.
A build-up of ice acts as an insulator, and the system will stop working properly, making the R22 refrigerant evaporate more quickly. Once the level of refrigerant becomes too low, the line will not freeze any longer. The ice may start to melt, but at this time the air is no longer flowing in the system, and there will be no cooling effect from your air conditioner.
Once the system stops cooling your home, there is potential for water damage to the unit. You should have an HVAC technician check out your air conditioner as soon as possible to analyze the problem and repair it.
2. Poor Flow Of Air
Once the air conditioner is not getting enough airflow, warm air from your home will not provide sufficient heat to stop the condensation on the coil from freezing.
The first step is to check your air filters and replace them if necessary. Even when air filters are not clogged with dirt, there can still be a problem with poor airflow.
Check all the air vents in your house with your hand, holding it in front of the vents to see if air leaks along the sides of the grate.
Also watch for ducts, grates, and dampers that are blocked or closed.
3. Coils Are Dirty
Dirty air conditioner coils are another common reason why the Tampa air conditioning unit has developed frost. Ice build-up will prevent the proper flow of air in the system so that a small amount of frost can quickly build up into solid ice around the coils.
It is important to remember that AC units dehumidify the air in the home in addition to cooling it, which can lead to the evaporator coils freezing. The water gets pulled out of the air, and the resulting condensation collects and freezes on the coils.
If the drops of condensation fall from the coils on to the drip pan below, there won’t be a problem. However, if the drip pan overflows, the coils will be waterlogged, and the water will freeze.
When coils get dirty, the dirt layer can keep them from absorbing water quickly. A bi-annual maintenance check from a local HVAC expert can ensure the AC coils stay clean.
4. Blower Fan Is Damaged
The blower fan ensures the warm air in your home is blown outside, and the cold air is circulated where it needs to go.
The cool air from your AC unit is denser. The blower fan removes the hot air from your home, causing the dense, cold air to move in to replace it.
The system must have the right balance of air pressure and airflow to work correctly to create and push cooler air throughout your home.
The blower fan of the AC unit can get damaged during normal operation. If the blower fan does not work properly, the airflow inside the air handler will not move properly. There can be too much condensation building up on the condenser coils, and the condensed droplets will not drain or evaporate properly.
If warm air does not flow over the parts, a refrigerant line can freeze up due to the blower fan not working. Be very careful when the refrigerant line freezes. The ice can spread to the condenser unit on the outside, resulting in serious problems.
AC Services
It is possible to handle an air conditioner freezing problem by yourself as long as you catch it very early. If they freeze up is caused by the coils being dirty, or if the system has been damaged by water, you should contact us online or by telephone to arrange an appointment. We have a team of expert technicians who can repair your AC system quickly and efficiently when your air conditioner freezes up.