Quick Steps to Repair a Frozen Air Conditioner
Does the air flowing from your supply registers suddenly seem warm? Check the indoor portion of your air conditioner. This part is situated within your furnace or air handler, if you rely on a heat pump. If there’s water leaking onto the floor, there may be ice on the evaporator coil. The AC coil in the system may have frozen. You’ll need to defrost it before it can cool your residence again.
Here’s what to do. If you can’t get the coil back to normal, Service Experts is here to assist you with air conditioning repair in the U.S. upheld by a Service Experts Guarantee.*
Step 1: Set the Air Conditioning to Off and the Blower On
To get started—set the thermostat from “cool” to “off.” This prevents cold refrigerant from going to the outdoor compressor, which could damage it and cause a costly repair.
Then, switch the fan from “auto” to “on.” This makes hot airflow over the frosty coils to help them defrost faster. Remember to set the cooling mode to “off” so the air conditioner doesn’t start a cooling cycle.
It could take under an hour or the better part of a day for the ice to defrost, depending on the extent of the buildup. While you’re waiting, check the condensate pan below the AC unit. If the drain line is blocked, it could cause a mess as the ice melts, potentially creating water damage.
Step 2: Diagnose the Trouble
Bad airflow is a prime explanation for an AC to become frozen. Here’s how to get to the bottom of the situation:
- Inspect the filter. Low airflow through a dusty filter could be the problem. Check and replace the filter monthly or once you observe a layer of dust.
- Open any sealed supply vents. Your home's supply registers should be open all the time. Sealing vents limits airflow over the evaporator coil, which may cause it to freeze.
- Be on the lookout for obstructed return vents. These typically don’t use moveable louvers, but furniture, rugs or curtains can still cover them.
- Not enough refrigerant: While airflow restrictions are the most frequent cause, your air conditioner may also have insufficient refrigerant. Depending on how old it is, it may rely on Freon¨. Not enough refrigerant requires professional support from a certified HVAC technician. H2: Step 3: Contact an HVAC Specialist at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing
If inadequate airflow doesn’t feel like the issue, then something else is causing your AC freeze up. If this is the case, merely thawing it out won’t fix the issue. The evaporator coil is likely to continually freeze unless you take care of the main issue. an HVAC pro to check for troubles with your air conditioner, which issues include:
- Refrigerant leak: AC units keep using refrigerant, so it shouldn’t get used up. Not enough refrigerant is a sign of a leak somewhere. Only a tech can pinpoint the leak, fix it, and recharge the air conditioner to the appropriate level.
- Grimy evaporator coil: If dust builds up on the coil, air can’t get to it, and it’s liable to freeze.
- Broken blower: A faulty motor or unbalanced fan could halt airflow over the evaporator coil.
Get in touch with your AC freezes up, call on the ACE-certified pros at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to fix the trouble. We have years of experience helping homeowners troubleshoot their air conditioners, and we’re confident we can get things running again fast. Contact us at (866) 963-7996 to book air conditioning repair in the U.S. with us right away.
