Top 4 Causes of Your Air Conditioner Freezing Up
A frozen air conditioner may be the last issue you expect to deal with on a hot and humid day. This type of issue can easily interrupt a day of watching movies or relaxing in the cold air of your home. From dirty air filters, refrigerant leaks, malfunctioning blower fans, to clogged condensate lines, there are various types of issues that may cause your air conditioner condenser or evaporator coils to become frozen. These are the top 4 problems that may cause your air conditioning system to freeze.
Table of Contents
Why is Your Air Conditioner Frozen?
Dirty Air Filters
The central air conditioning system in your house relies on a continuous flow of warm air to prevent the coils from becoming frozen. If the air filters in your HVAC system become contaminated with dirt or dust, the flow of air will become restricted and produce frozen AC issues.
This will cause the excess moisture on the air conditioner coils to freeze. To prevent the inconveniences of a frozen air conditioner, it’s important to change your air filters continuously throughout the year. Fiberglass air filters should be swapped once a month while high-quality pleated air filters should be replaced twice a year.
A dirty air filter may cause the evaporator coils and outdoor condensing unit to become frozen. If your air conditioner is frozen, deactivate it for a total of 1 to 3 hours to allow the ice to melt. Once the ice has melted, activate the fan for an hour prior to activating the air conditioning system. We recommend purchasing a new air filter from your local hardware store to prevent your air conditioner from becoming frozen in the future. If you are having issues with your system once the ice melts, call a certified contractor in your area to receive assistance.
Low Refrigerant Levels
The physical characteristics of the refrigerant will vary depending on the pressure levels in your air conditioning system. The refrigerant is pushed through a set of refrigerant lines at a temperature that may cause moisture to form. If the pressure becomes unstable in your system, this may cause the refrigerant to act abnormally.
An issue with the refrigerant in your air conditioner system may cause ice to form on the evaporator coils of your system. If this issue remains undetected for too long, the refrigerant in your air conditioning system will evaporate. This type of problem will make it hard for your system to remove heat from your house. If you need assistance finding a refrigerant leak in your air conditioner, give our team a call by phone at (732) 201-3305 or book an appointment online to receive help.
Malfunctioning Blower Fan
The fan in your air conditioner is engineered to push cold air throughout your house. In addition, this component is responsible for releasing heat to the outdoors. When your blower fan is broken or malfunctioning, this negatively impacts the flow of air in the air handler and may cause the air conditioner to become frozen.
Read More: What Are the Advantages of Buying An Energy-Efficient Air Conditioner?
While the blower fan is broken, an excess amount of moisture will build up on your coils and will prevent water from vaporizing correctly. A damaged blower fan may also cause the refrigerant pipes in your system to become frozen. If your air conditioner is frozen or malfunctioning, immediately turn it off and call a certified technician to perform a repair or tune-up.
Blockages in Condensate Lines
If your AC unit is frozen and you are struggling to pinpoint the issue, we recommend performing an inspection of the condensate lines. A central air conditioning system is connected to a set of condensate lines that are engineered to push excess moisture from the air down a drain.
A blockage in these pipes may cause the excess water to become trapped. When the water becomes stuck in the condensate lines, it will begin to freeze and inhibit the flow of air in your house. If you believe the evaporator coils on your air conditioner are frozen, contact a processional contractor to receive emergency support.
Air Conditioning Repair & Installation Services in New Jersey
Team Electric, Plumbing, & Air Inc. offers reliable air conditioning repair, tune-up, and installation services to homes in New Jersey. If your air conditioner is frozen, our team of licensed technicians will diagnose the issue and fix the damaged components. Our team of contractors provides services in areas such as Middletown, Trenton, Elizabeth, Brick, and Tom’s River. Give our team a call by phone at (732) 201-3305 or fill out our Contact Form to receive emergency assistance.
