Brrrr! What’s Causing Your AC To Freeze And How To Prevent It

Summer season is the time of the year when you get to enjoy long-planned outdoor activities with your friends and enjoy life to the fullest.

Unfortunately, as summer rages on and the blistering heat increases, we all look for ways to stay cool. This is the time when your air conditioner becomes your best friend.

However, the last thing you’d want is to ruin your beautiful summer day because of a frozen air conditioner.

But why does your ac keep freezing up during the hottest days of the year? Well, this can be quite frustrating, but it’s a common problem that many people face with their air conditioners.

The great news is that you can fix the problem yourself, even without the expertise. Read on to understand why your air conditioner is frozen and how you can fix it for optimum cooling.

Why Does My AC Keep Freezing Up?

There are countless reasons why your ac may end up frozen. Here are some of these reasons to help you know the root cause of your ac freezing-up problems:

Low Refrigerant

Refrigerant is the component responsible for cooling your home. Low refrigerant levels, however, may lead to freezing up your ac unit.

Low coolant levels are brought about either by having a leakage on the lines or even changes in pressure.

A leak on the lines and pipes may result in reduced coolant levels, which leads to overworking the ac and eventually frozen coils and pipes.

Poor Airflow

Lack of proper airflow in your home is another potential problem of a frozen ac. Poor airflow into your home; means that your ac won’t get sufficient warm air to prevent the condensation on the coil from freezing.

Dirty filters and closed air registers also block the air from getting into the system, hence resulting in the freezing up of the ac.

Dirty Coils

Dirty ac coils come third on the list of common causes of ac freezes. Since ice impedes proper airflow, accumulation of frost happens within no time.

Your evaporator coils keep on freezing up because they not only cool the air in your house but also pull out the water in it. The process of dehumidifying air contributes to the condensate that accumulates on the coils.

The problem comes in, however, when the drip pan overflows, soaking the coils and later freezing up.

Damaged Blower Fan

The fourth possible cause of ac unit freezes is a damaged blower fan. A blower fan essentially helps get the denser cool air inside the ac into your home while extracting warm air from your home.

Proper air pressure and airflow of your ac unit determine how effectively it can cool air and pump it out into your house.

A faulty blower fan alters proper airflow into the system, resulting in the buildup of condensed water droplets on the coils.

The water droplets end up freezing causing the ac to malfunction.

A broken air conditioner blower fan is also known to cause the freezing of the coolant line.

How Do You Fix a Frozen Air Conditioner?

Now that you know what causes an AC to freeze up, the next thing is to know the different ways that you repair your air conditioner. Here are some of the ways to help you have your frozen ac up and running:

Clean or Replace Air Filters

As a leading cause for limited airflow to your air conditioner, you should before anything else, check that the air filters are working as this may solve a handful of other ac problems.

To replace your filter, you need to first turn off your ac so that the ice may defrost. You should then turn on the fan and allow it to run for about an hour.

At this time, replace the air filters with new ones and then turn on your ac to cool your home.

By replacing ac filters, you will prevent freezing up of your ac since there’s enough flow of air hence optimum performance.

Always remember to regularly change your air filters, and have two AC tune-ups every year to maintain your unit clean and efficient.

Clean the Evaporator Coil

A clogged evaporator coil is linked to several unpleasant AC problems. It hugely contributes to poor airflow, which drops the temperature causing your air conditioner to freeze up.

Dirty coils can also cause freezing since the debris and dirt on the coils can inhibit fast enough absorption of water.

It’s recommended that you clean your evaporator coils to effectively fix your frozen AC unit. To ensure that your ac stays up and running, Bi-annual maintenance should be done by professionals.

Inspect and Clean Your Ductwork

Open all air conditioning registers. Then, check for any bends, leaks, or disconnected parts in your ductwork to make sure there isn’t any blockage of air.

If the ductwork is operating well, you should then inspect your registers for dirt that may hinder air from flowing.

You may go ahead and clean the air ducts and registers to ensure they’re open to allow entry of air. Extreme damage to your ductwork may demand complete ductwork replacement.

Clean the Condenser Coils

The condenser unit is a large metal box with grilles usually located outdoors. Your AC compressor unit includes a fan that should remain clean from debris and dirt.

The fan blades found in the condenser unit blow air across the condenser coils and if there’s entry of debris and dirt the coils might end up getting clogged.

To maintain your condenser’s efficiency throughout the cooling season, you need to have them cleaned regularly.

To start with, you need to unplug your ac from the socket, and then remove the top and side panels from the condenser unit.

You should then gently clean the coils from the outside with a refrigerator coil brush while ensuring that you don’t cause damage to them.

Vacuum the coils to make sure the inside part is also clean. You can use a fine comb to correct any bent fins.

You may need to spray using a commercial AC cleaner for you to blast out stubborn debris from the inside. Spray while observing utmost care not to tamper with the fan and electrical components.

Remove Debris from the Condenser

The condenser unit is prone to a build-up of leaves and debris as it’s located outdoors. So, you should remove all the debris on the condenser’s base, and ensure the drain is clear.

Clean the blower’s fan blades using a vacuum and a rag. Check for any loose mounting bolts and tighten them.

Lubricate the fan’s motor oil ports with lightweight oil. Before you reassemble the unit, ensure that you dry any water inside the condenser.

Insulate Damaged Coolant Lines

The refrigerant tubes connect the air handler’s evaporator to the condenser outside. The coolant lines are typically insulated with foam to prevent energy loss.

Check your AC’s coolant lines for parts with frayed or missing insulation and replace them. To fix the missing parts you can use foam insulation sleeves or use foam insulation tape to cover the lines in a spiral pattern.

Get a Programmable Thermostat

A perfect way to get ahead of the freezing-over problem is by using a programmable thermostat. It is designed to automatically shut down the AC once the temperatures fall below the optimum threshold.

If you don’t have one installed, you should turn off the AC if the temperatures outside at night go 60 degrees and below.

Test Your AC Unit

After you’ve tried all the above-mentioned ways, you should then let the unit dry thoroughly and then turn the condenser’s power on.

You can do this by first turning off your home’s thermostat and then switching on power at the disconnect box and the main panel. Finally, switch the thermostat to cool.

If you still find it not functioning properly, you may seek the help of professionals to troubleshoot and repair your air conditioner.

Minimize the following year’s maintenance costs by covering your AC with a plastic sheet and securing it with a rope during the winter and fall seasons when it’s not in use.

Enjoy the Summer with the Help of Licensed HVAC Professionals

As easy as it may appear on paper, some of the ac repairs are best left to professionals. An HVAC professional has all the required tools and expertise to manage all sorts of repairs while checking out for signs of a future breakdown.

Does your ac keep freezing up? You don’t have to suffer the summer heat, contact us today to schedule an appointment and have your air conditioner up and running in no time.