My Air Conditioner is Frozen

If there is ice on your AC unit, that is a problem. There are multiple reasons why ice forms on your AC coils, and each of them has a different solution. It is time to call the skilled HVAC technicians at Semper Fi Heating and Cooling to diagnose and fix the problem.

Symptoms of Frozen Coils

If your outside unit has obvious ice formed anywhere on it, you have frozen coils. If your AC is running but the air coming out of the registers is warm, check the outdoor unit to see if ice has formed. Frozen coils can also cause condensation to form on your inside unit. If you see water on the floor around your inside unit, check to see if you have frozen coils outside.

Causes of Frozen Coils

• A dirty filter can reduce air flow through your system causing it to freeze.
• Check the fan blade in the outside unit. Has it stopped turning? If the fan is not turning, air is not flowing around the coils causing them to freeze. A service technician can fix or replace the fan motor if it has failed.
• Blocked condensation lines will cause the unit to freeze. Condensation collects from the air cooling process and needs a place to drain. If the drain is stopped up, the condensation can back up and start the freezing process. You probably won’t see any signs that a condensation line is clogged, but a service technician can diagnose the problem.
• If your thermostat is not working properly, it could inaccurately sense the temperature and cause the system to run too long or continuously. Are you having trouble keeping your home at a steady temperature or does it get too cold? Those are signs of a thermostat problem.
• The most common cause of frozen coils is a refrigerant leak. Refrigerant is a chemical that runs through the coils to absorb heat and produce cooling. If the refrigerant level is low, there is probably a leak in the line. Usually it is not as simple as adding more refrigerant. The location of the leak needs to be found and repaired before the refrigerant is replaced.

If you have a frozen air conditioning coil, the first thing to do is turn the unit off. Continuing to let it run with the problem can cause compressor failure, and that is an expensive repair. After turning your unit off, give it time to thaw out completely, then turn it back on to see if it is working. It may be working but the problem is not fixed and it will probably freeze again. Your next step is to call a professional service technician at Semper Fi to properly diagnose and repair the problem.

Preventative maintenance in the form of a routine service check by a technician will likely identify a potential coil freeze before it becomes a problem that could cause major damage.

Call the pros at Semper Fi Heating and Cooling to arrange for a planned service agreement and keep your AC running problem-free and efficiently.

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