One of the more common problems with air conditioning units is that they can freeze up. When icy condensation builds, it can lead to serious consequences such as expensive repairs or full system replacements. That’s why it is important for the homeowner to constantly watch out for signs that their air conditioning unit is freezing up and especially the evaporator coils. Agape Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing will share some of the signs as well as the cause of your air conditioning unit freezing up.
How to Tell if Your Air Conditioner is Freezing Up & Broken
1. When there is a sudden decrease with your air conditioners ability to cool the inside of your home down.
2. There is less air flow through your home vents than usual.
3. If your air conditioning unit appears to run constantly but with little results.
4. When the condensation drain seems to be producing more condensation than normal.
These are some of the major signs that your air conditioning unit or more specifically the evaporator coils have frozen up. If you have noticed any of these signs that the air conditioning unit may have frozen over, you’ll then want to inspect the air conditioning unit.
How to Inspect for Signs of Frost on the Air Conditioning Unit
1. Check the outdoor refrigerant lines to see if have ice covering them.
2. Check to see if there is an abundance of condensation that’s on the surface of the indoor air handler.
3. Check to see if there is an abundance of condensation built up around or on the condensation drain. Also see if there is a lot of condensation in the drainage pan.
4. Check to see if there is a large amount of ice built up on the inside evaporator coil located on the air handler.
During your inspection of your air conditioning unit see if any of these problems are affecting your unit. You may want to contact your preferred HVAC repair technician before the components of your HVAC system begin to overheat or breakdown. However there are reasons as to why ice may accumulate in various areas of your HVAC system, some of which can be prevented.
Causes of Ice Build Up
1. Dirty Air filters is the number one cause. Make sure you replace the intake filter within your home as they get dirty.
2. If the air duct system is too small, or if there is a blockage somewhere within the air ducts, that too can cause icing of the evaporator coils.
3. The interior vents or registers in the home are either closed or blocked. Some may think that to provide more airflow to a warmer or larger room of the home, is to close the vent to other parts of the home that may not get as hot or that are not occupied; for example the bath room. This is actually a great mistake, you want equal air flow.
4. The fan in the outside air conditioning unit is malfunctioning or broken.
5. The evaporator coils are being blocked or dirty.
6. Your refrigerant is low and is leaking out somewhere.
7. If there’s a blockage in the condensation drainage pan.
HVAC Services in Manhattan, Flushing, Queens, Brooklyn & The Bronx, New York
If your unit keeps freezing over you will want to contact an HVAC technician to come out and to figure out your specific problem. If your unit does have ice built up on the refrigerant lines or evaporator coils, turn your unit off and call an HVAC technician. If you leave your unit running it can lead to expensive repair or even the complete failure of your air conditioning unit. Agape Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing can help find the problem with your air conditioner and keep you cool all summer long. Contact Agape Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing for all your plumbing and HVAC needs.
