Your air conditioning system should never freeze, if this occurs you have a problem.
There are several reasons why the system may be freezing up, lack of air flow, low on refrigerant charge, mechanical part failing dirty or clogged air filter.
There are 2 common reasons why this happens:
1) Restricted airflow
By “airflow” we mean the amount of air flowing over the air conditioner evaporator coil.
When airflow is restricted or reduced, there’s less heat for the evaporator coil to absorb, causing the temperature to drop to freezing levels. Air conditioning systems operate at an evaporator temperature of 40-45 degrees. When air flow is diminished the coil temperature drops close to 32 degrees, this causes the evaporator coil to freeze.
Then, when humid air comes into contact with the coil, moisture condenses on the coils (like how water beads up on a cold glass of water in summer) and then freezes.
Several things can cause restricted airflow:
- Dirty air filter (change your filter once a month)
- Dirty evaporator coil (a professional needs to remove and clean the coil)
- Blocked return grills (move any curtain or furniture blocking return vents)
- Closed vents (don’t close vents in unused rooms, your A/C is sized to work with a certain amount of airflow)
- Blower motor is weak/not working (have a professional fix the motor)
There are a few other causes, but these are the usual suspects.
2) Low on refrigerant
Your air conditioner uses refrigerant to move heat from inside your home to the outside.
But when it’s low on refrigerant, there’s a pressure drop in the evaporator coil. As the pressure drops, so does the temperature, causing the coil to get to below freezing temperatures. So the same thing happens like when there’s restricted airflow.
If your air conditioner is low on refrigerant it is best not to operate the system as the compressor relies on the refrigerant to cool the electric motor. When the system is low, it can overheat the compressor causing the compressor to fail.
- Humid air hits the freezing coil
- Water beads up
- Water freezes
WARNING: If you’re low on refrigerant, that means there’s a refrigerant leak.
So a technician should first locate and repair the leak. THEN they can evacuate and recharge the system with refrigerant. The best methods for finding a refrigerant leak is by using an electronic leak detector or ultraviolet dye.
Anyone who tries to top you off with more refrigerant without looking for a leak isn’t doing their due diligence.
What you should do next
Here’s general troubleshooting you should try to resolve this icy issue before calling a professional:
- Turn off your air conditioner.
- Let your air conditioner defrost.
- Change your air filter.
- Open up all the air registers in your home.
- Make sure none of your furniture or drapes are blocking return vents.
If your air conditioner still freezes up when you turn it back on, call your local air conditioning contractor to assess the problem. http://ift.tt/21Oylkn
For a complete list of services and offers, call Houston Admiral Air Conditioning and Heating 281-876-9400 or visit our website http://ift.tt/21Oylkn.
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