While there’s nothing better than an air-conditioned house on a hot day, nothing is worse than when your air conditioner suddenly freezes and completely stops working. Figuring out what is causing your AC unit to ice up can be a little frustrating. Though, it is not a very uncommon problem for unprepared homeowners.
When your air conditioner freezes, you will notice a buildup of frost on the copper that comes out of the system. Sometimes this frost buildup can develop into solid blocks of ice forms which can be so bad, especially when you have no idea how to deal with it. Fortunately, there are easy ways to solve the issue.
Just because you encounter this problem does not mean you have to call your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) contractor right away. You can actually fix a frozen AC on your own but if you don’t feel comfortable around your air conditioner then you should definitely call out a contractor like Technical Heating & Cooling Services who are based in Northampton and Heatdoctor who are based in Wellingborough. But! If in case the problem requires immediate action, make sure you know how to handle it by yourself.
First things first!
Turn off the air conditioner and allow it to defrost. Note that too much ice forms can harm the entire system. In hard cases, must also turn your thermostat to the heat setting to speed up the melting process. But be sure to watch the water levels in the unit to avoid the overflow of water in the drain pan.
Check the air filter.
The second best thing to rule this problem out is by checking the air filter. Restricted airflow is one of the most common causes of freezing. If the air filter gets too dirty, it will not capture all of the particulates in the air. As a result, dirt will slowly build up on top of your coils until they can’t work properly and eventually drop the temperature of the unit too low. This, in turn, causes the unit to freeze.
In response to this, you should be using a high-quality filter and replacing it every 2 to 3 months. But if you have pets, you will have to change the air filter more frequently.
Examine the coils and fins.
The coils and fins also require cleaning. If you are quite unfamiliar with these parts, you can always rely on the user’s manual. Use a soft brush to remove any dust particles and debris.
Inspect the coolant levels.
Many HVAC contractors like THS Plumbing & Heating Northampton and even project home builders suggest keeping the room with a not too low level of coolant. Low coolant can affect the system’s pressuring and cooling efficiency which may result in freezing.
Reset the power.
After successfully thawing and adjusting the coolant level, restore the power to run a test and see if it’s cooling properly again. You should be feeling the cool blows from the vents after a few minutes. Otherwise, if the system cycles for a long time and it still doesn’t reach the desired thermostat, that’s the time you have to call out your contractor to check if there are other damages on the system.
In addition to preventing this problem from happening again, homeowners must maintain the proper air conditioning system and usage. It’s also smart to trim or cut off tree branches and twigs around the outside equipment to avoid them from entering the system and causing problems. Always have a practiced technician to check the unit from time to time, especially when you notice some potential repairs.
