It’s a sweltering September afternoon in the Sunshine State. It’s 92 degrees out there. Your house is unusually warm inside and you inspect your A/C unit outside to find… ice? In this unforgiving heat?
Is it a miracle?
Sorry, but nope. When your air conditioning freezes up – literally – it’s less of a miracle and more of a problem that can persist to the point of damaging your entire system. While you would think that an A/C unit with ice will produce cold air, the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Your cooling system operates through a balance of temperature, pressure and airflow. If any of these components falls out of balance, the refrigerant that creates the cold air you enjoy on a hot day can overclock and freeze itself, without actually making your air any colder. In fact, a frozen air-conditioner will either blow warm/cool air or nothing at all.
So, what causes this to happen?
There are many reasons we constantly remind our readers and our customers to change the air filters in their A/C systems. This is one of them. If your outdoor unit is iced over and you can’t remember the last time you changed your air filter, you might have identified your freezing problem. To understand this, you first need to know how your cooling system works.
A typical HVAC consists of an indoor unit, which has the evaporator coil, and an outdoor unit, which has the compressor. Between the two runs your refrigerant line, which cycles refrigerant around the system to remove heat from your home. The dirtier your air filter gets, the more it restricts your airflow, impeding the circulation from passing through the system to transfer heat from your home to the refrigerant. As a result, the refrigerant stays colder than it should.
The good news?
If a dirty filter is the source of your freezing troubles, all you have to do is change it. We can take care of that for you if you don’t know how. If you do, this is an easy – and super affordable – do-it-yourself fix for your warm air woes. Just be aware that the ice on your evaporator coil will melt, so you’ll need to collect or absorb the water before it causes any damage to your home.
Wait… it’s still frozen!
If your air filter is new or the icing issues continue after it’s been changed, the second-most common reason for freeze-ups is loss of refrigerant. This can be a much more significant concern. Refrigerant should not leak in a well-maintained system. However, under-serviced air-conditioners can leak due to age, wear and tear. If the refrigerant leaks out, then the coil will freeze. Likewise, you would notice an increase in your electric bill because the air conditioner works harder to produce the same level of cold temperature. If this is causing your big freeze, call a professional. Only a certified HVAC technician can replace refrigerant according to EPA guidelines.
The Badger Bottom Line
While you may dream of snowy days during the sizzling Sunshine State afternoons, the last thing you’ll want to see is ice on your A/C unit. If a dirty air filter is the problem, you can clean or change it to return to cool air bliss. If you are leaking refrigerant, you need to get a pro out there ASAP. Remember, if your unit needs to be replaced, now is the right time with our New A/C Guarantee. You can get the A/C system of your choice, 0% financing for up to 5 years, plus a 10-year warranty on parts and labor, and a 10-year maintenance plan. Give us a call or visit us HERE to learn more!