What Causes Your Air Conditioner To Freeze Up?

If your air conditioner hasn't been giving out cold air, then a reason could be a frozen coil. How should you avoid this problem, and how can you fix it to allow better air to circulate within your house? Here are some of the reasons why your air conditioner has been freezing up too much.

What Is The Evaporator Coil?

It is the part of your air conditioning system that absorbs heat from the air inside your house. It's usually found on the inside of your air handler or attached to your furnace. It works with a condenser coil to produce cool air. The evaporator coil consists of refrigerants that are pumped by the compressor. The chemicals in the evaporator coil absorb the heat produced by the blower fan.

Dirty evaporator coils trigger the flow of good air and freeze up the air conditioners. An evaporator coil loses its ability to absorb heat over time. Extensive use of an air conditioner can cause the blower fan to freeze up the evaporator coil.

Why Do Air Conditioners Freeze Up?

• ‍Inadequate airflow: Lack of airflow is the main reason why the air conditioners freeze up internally. If there isn't enough air circulating over your evaporator coil, it won't be able to absorb enough heat. The condenser on the coil will freeze up as a result.
• ‍Dirty air filterA clogged air filter will restrict airflow in your system, resulting in a frozen condenser. Apart from this, a blocked filter might cause debris to accumulate on your evaporator coil and cause it to freeze.
• ‍Dirty evaporator coil: A dirty evaporator coil gives the condenser a hard time absorbing heat. The main purpose of an evaporator coil is to absorb the heat so that the air conditioner doesn't freeze up internally. A dirty evaporator coil beats the whole purpose.
• ‍Low refrigerant: A leak in the refrigerant or low levels of it is one of the most common reasons that cause an air conditioner to freeze up the evaporator coil. As a result, the condenser's ability to absorb heat is reduced.

‍What should you do to prevent your air conditioner from freezing up?

• Ensure the refrigerant level is appropriate and not too low, as this can freeze up the condenser.
• Replace the filters frequently, preferably once a month.
• Make sure the supply vents are open. This can promote the free flow of air.
• Increase the fan's speed to let the cold air circulate throughout the room instead of getting trapped inside the air conditioner.
• Inspect the thermostat to ensure that the temperature on your thermostat tallies with the outside temperature.
• Weekly inspection of the condensate drain can reduce the freezing up of an air conditioner.
• Make sure that any window units you have are properly oriented.

Staton Heating and Air Inc. is an AC installation service company located in Duluth. We provide several services ranging from AC maintenance to being one of the most reliable AC contractors in Duluth for commercial and residential purposes. Our experts specialize in giving the best repair and maintenance services for your air conditioner. Reach out to us through our website or call to know more about our services!